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FREE Pet Knitting Patterns

Free Knitting Patterns for Pets

December 5, 2025 by Christine T Leave a Comment

You can knit. You have pets. Then you know you need these FREE knitting patterns for pets!   We all love our furry friends, and it’s always fun to make something just for them. Knitting for your pets can be fun, and it is also a great way to use up scrap yarn, since itRead More

Homemade Christmas centerpieces in colors of red and white

10 Frugal Homemade Christmas Centerpieces

October 23, 2025 by Alea Milham 2 Comments

Elegant holiday tablescapes don’t have to cost a lot of money. Here is a collection of 10 frugal homemade Christmas centerpieces to inspire you to come up with something wonderful for a festive table. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your Christmas centerpiece. You can use items you already have aroundRead More

15 Homemade Christmas Ornaments

October 16, 2025 by Alea Milham Leave a Comment

Gather up the craft supplies and clear some space on the table! Everyone is going to love making these Homemade Christmas Ornaments to decorate the tree! Each year we make several new Christmas ornaments for our tree. Some years I have simply picked up some ceramic ornaments from Michael’s and some paint. One year theRead More

15 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

October 16, 2025 by Alea Milham 2 Comments

You can make heartfelt, handmade gifts! Read on to see 15 easy DIY Christmas gift ideas for more meaningful gift-giving this holiday season. Last week a friend gave me a pen and ink drawing she had created from a picture. I was so touched I started crying. A picture my oldest son painted hangs overRead More

how to find free or cheap wood pallets to use in diy projects

Where to Find Free or Cheap Wood Pallets

October 14, 2025 by Katie Femia 3 Comments

Need wood pallets for a DIY project? Here are tips for finding free or cheap wood pallets.   Have you ever seen a really cool wood pallet craft that you are just itching to try? There are so many great ones, as people are finding all sorts of ways to make purposeful and pretty thingsRead More

15 Free Crochet Ornament Patterns

October 9, 2025 by Christine T 2 Comments

With the holidays coming up, you’ll want to warm up your crochet hands and fingers and get ready to make things! Start with one or more of these adorable free Christmas ornament crochet patterns to decorate your tree or give as gifts! For me, there is something so warm about crocheted items. Ornaments on theRead More

10 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Boys

November 30, 2024 by Alea Milham 1 Comment

Are you looking for DIY Christmas gift ideas for boys? We have you covered with easy homemade gifts! Many people think it is harder to make homemade gifts for boys than it is for girls, but I don’t think so. My boys may be easy, but I could just give them wood and nails ifRead More

DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Lip Balm Recipe and Tutorial

DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Lip Balm

November 24, 2023 by Christine T 5 Comments

DIY peppermint hot chocolate lip balm is perfect for soothing chapped lips in the winter. There are many scents and flavors associated with the holiday season. The invigorating scents of our favorite treats being baked and the scents of the cool, crisp air come to mind for many. When I was growing up, peppermint hotRead More

How to Make Homemade Air Freshener Spray

How to Make Homemade Air Freshener Spray

May 20, 2022 by Jody 7 Comments

Use this tutorial on how to make homemade air freshener spray to make your own custom-scented room spray. It is inexpensive and the scent in your home sets the mood and is one of the first impressions guests will take in when they step into your home. Making your own homemade air freshener spray is well..”aRead More

diy embossed terra cotta pot

DIY Embossed Terra Cotta Pot

May 2, 2022 by Jody 15 Comments

Turn a simple terra cotta pot into an elegant Embossed Terra Cotta Pot. This is an easy DIY planter for your indoor and outdoor plants. I love the look of pretty embossed pots at the home improvement stores but the price tags can be a little bit ridiculous. Even a moderately small pot had aRead More

DIY Scented Fire Starters

November 17, 2020 by Jody Leave a Comment

These DIY scented fire starters contain cinnamon, cloves, and allspice to give your home a lovely holiday scent. These cute little DIY scented fire starters are made mostly from items that would probably be tossed in the trash. However, when they are repurposed and packaged in these fire starters, they become useful and smell amazing. Take them alongRead More

Homemade nativity scenes for decorations and nativity crafts for kids

15 Homemade Nativity Scenes and Activities

November 12, 2018 by Alea Milham

Here are homemade nativity scenes that make great Christmas decorations and nativity crafts for kids to make themselves. Last year I shared that we don’t really do Santa at our house. Instead, we celebrate St.Nicholas Day which is December 6th. Our only nod to Santa is when we serve as a “Secret Santa” for familiesRead More

How to make Wool Dryer Balls - tutorial with easy directions

DIY Wool Dryer Balls

October 11, 2018 by Alea Milham 2 Comments

Homemade gifts are so much more personal, giving something that is also useful makes it an even better gift.  If you have ever wanted to try making your own Homemade Wool Dryer Balls now is a great time, grab your kids and some wool yarn and make up several batches of wool dryer balls. OfRead More

How to Make Simmering Potpourri Recipe and Tips

Simmering Potpourri Recipe

September 17, 2018 by Jody 1 Comment

Here is how to make simmering potpourri. Use this simmering potpourri recipe which is a mixture of fresh fruit and spices.   I love the smells of the kitchen from fall through Christmas: cinnamon, clove, baking apples, and vanilla being warmed in cookies while the smell floats throughout the house. But I can’t spend everyday bakingRead More

How to make citronella candles - recipe, tutorial and tips

How to Make Citronella Candles

July 17, 2018 by Jody 2 Comments

Use this tutorial for how to make citronella candles to make mosquito repellent candles. Citronella candles have long been used to ward off pesky mosquitoes. There is no reason why they cant be pretty as well as effective.  Making them yourself means that you can make them stronger (store bought ones never seem strong enough forRead More

DIY Americana rag balls usingred, white, and blue bandannas in a wire basket

Patriotic Rag Balls

June 25, 2018 by Alea Milham Leave a Comment

Use this tutorial to easily create Patriotic Rag Balls to use in your home decor. I have always loved the beautiful seasonal filler balls that sit piled up in glass jars, dough bowls, and baskets but am not too thrilled about the price tag that is usually attached. So, I set about making my own andRead More

Woman applying natural hair treatment

5 Natural Hair Treatments You Can Make At Home

March 28, 2018 by Christine T 2 Comments

Natural hair treatments are great for your hair, but they can be pricey. Here are 5 natural hair treatments you can make at home. Other than facial products, people spend a lot of money on hair care. The hope is that the product lives up to its claims and gives you silky, soft and shinyRead More

15 DIY Easter Decorations - Homemade Easter decor ideas and inspiration for decorating your home for Easter on a Budget.

15 DIY Easter Decorations

March 2, 2018 by Christine T 2 Comments

These DIY Easter decorations are great ways to decorate for Easter on a budget. I love Easter and springtime crafts. After spending the winter cooped up and surrounded by the cold air, it is nice to work on craft projects that have bright colors and remind me that warmer weather is on its way. DecoratingRead More

DIY Coat Rack Tutorial

DIY Coat Rack

February 1, 2018 by Emily Leave a Comment

This DIY Coat Rack is easy to make and will help declutter your entryway. One thing I seem to notice about my home is that a cluttered entryway is hard to avoid. My little ones unload anything and everything the minute their feet step inside the house. To help keep my entryway clear I decidedRead More

15 DIY Valentine's Day Decor Ideas - these homemade Valentines's Day decorations are easy to make and use budget-friendly supplies.

DIY Valentine’s Day Decor Ideas

January 23, 2018 by Christine T 1 Comment

These DIY Valentine’s Day decor ideas will fill your home with festive color. With my birthday being February 10, I am used to having many heart, red, pink and white doilies at birthday parties simply because those were the easiest party decorations to find. It never bothered me too much as I always loved thoseRead More

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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