DIY Plywood Holiday Card Holder

Jigsaw

Masking tape

Coarse grit sandpaper

Plywood (purchased a large birch square from the woodworking section of the home improvement store)

Pencil

Leather cord

Metal tacks or nails

Hammer

Ruler

Step 1: Along one edge of the plywood board, make a small pencil mark at 20 inches. This will be the bottom of the tree.

Step 2: Along the opposite edge (top of the tree) make a pencil mark at 10 inches.

Step 3: With masking tape, you will now prep the plywood to minimize splintering while sawing. Lay down a long piece of masking tape at a diagonal, starting at the top pencil mark and ending at the bottom mark. Lay down another long piece of masking tape, starting at the top pencil mark and ending at the bottom left corner of the plywood, forming a triangle. Over the masking tape, draw a line connecting the top pencil mark to the bottom mark and bottom left corner. This is your guide for sawing.

Step 4: Brace the plywood on a sawhorse with clamps and saw along your pencil lines, starting from the bottom of the tree.

Step 5: After the triangle is cut out, smooth rough edges with coarse grit sandpaper.

Step 6: Starting at bottom right corner, nail in or tack the end of the leather cord. Use a hammer to drive in the nail/tack.

Step 7: Pull the leather cord taut over to the left side of the tree. Make sure the leather is pulled tight and flat against the plywood. About 6 inches from the bottom, nail or tack in the leather cord. Before hammering in the nail/tack in deeper into the plywood, pull the cord tight over to the right side of the tree. Repeat this process, zigzagging the leather cord all the way to the top, taking care to keep the leather tight and flat.