Make a Pallet Christmas Tree

This easy craft will add some modern yet rustic charm to your holiday decor.

You will need: Several boards from broken down pallets/hammer/stiff wire brush/gloves/saw/ measuring tape/carpenter's square screwdriver or drill with screwdriver bit/1 inch craft screws/white latex paint/water/paint brush/newspaper or drop cloth. Break pallets apart carefully and 10 good pieces from the top and bottom of the pallets. Look for pieces with character including knots and roughness. Clean the pieces by gently scraping them with the wire brush. Brush away any debris.

You will need one long pallet board in good condition as the center of the tree. Cut the remaining boards into the following lengths for the branches: 1 - 20" board/ 1 - 18" board/ 1 - 16" board/ 1 - 14" board/ 1 - 12" board/ 1 - 10" board/ 1 - 8" board/ 1 - 6" board/ 1 - 4" board. For the base you will need: 2 - 8" boards and 2 - 5.5" boards.

Place the pieces for the branches on the floor from smallest to largest, leaving about 1.5" to 2" between each. Lay the center piece on top of them and distribute the pieces below evenly, leaving about 8-9" below the bottom branch for the trunk.