Camp Bucket Light -Easy Cricut Craft for Summer

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Hello crafty friends!  Today you’ll learn how to make a camp bucket light and how to personalize it with your Cricut cutting machine.  

I cover how to do everything step by step in the video down below.  And there are written instructions with pictures too.  

Plus I have a free patriotic SVG cut file you can use to personalize your camp bucket if you like.  There’s more information at the bottom of the post on how you can get it from my free resource library.   

And speaking of patriotic, if you’re looking for more festive things to make and decorate with be sure to check out my 4th of July paper lanterns here. 

Alright, let’s get started!

 

 

Camping Bucket Light Supplies Needed

 

• 5 Gallon White Bucket + Lid
• LED LIghts with Remote
• AAA Batteries
• Oracle 651 Permanent Adhesive Vinyl
• Transfer Paper
• Painters Tape (optional) 
• Vinyl Tools
• Alcohol
• Cricut Cutting Machine
• Free Patriotic SVG Cut File to Personalize (available in my resource library) 

 

I found the white five-gallon bucket at Walmart in the paint section.   The lid is sold separately, but both bucket and lid cost less than $5.00.  Keep in mind I’m in the midwest -like the cheapest area of the country to live and prices will vary by region.   

 

But still, it’s not going to cost an arm and a leg to do this craft, and they turn out fantastic.  

 

The best price I found on the LED Puck Lights is at Amazon.   These are nice and big, plus you can put them underwater if you want.  They have multiple colors you can set via the remote.  Plus they’ll strobe and blink and are super bright.  All around great purchase.  

 

And make sure you use permanent adhesive vinyl as your bucket will be outside.  The best brand is oracle 651 and Expressions Vinyl always has great prices here. 

 

How to Make Light Up Buckets Video 

 

Be sure to check out the step by step instruction in my Camping Bucket Lights Video

 

 

 

Camping Bucket Light Instructions 

 

The first thing you’ll need to do is get your free SVG cut design.  You can access all of my free SVG files in the resource library here. 

 

Step 1 Personalize the Camp Bucket SVG

 

When you upload it to design space it will be sized around 8″x8″ which is the size I use for my buckets.   You can click the ungroup button to separate the design elements and move them around as you want. 

 

 

You’ll need to add your last name to the design.  To do that click on text on the left menu and type your name into the text box.  

You can choose the font you want on the top menu.  If you need more help with fonts or with script text, be sure to see this post on text editing tips in Design Space.

 

 

After you have your name in and everything the way you want it,  be sure to select everything and click the attach button on the bottom right of the layers menu.  This will keep everything in place when you cut the SVG file. 

 

Step 2 Cut the Patriotic Camp Bucket Design

 

Next place your vinyl onto the cut mat and load it into your Cricut machine to be cut.  Don’t forget to set your dial to vinyl! 

After it’s finished cutting ‘weed’ the design with your Cricut tool to remove all of the extra vinyl. 

 

 

Next, add transfer paper and then you’re ready to transfer the design to your white 5-gallon bucket.   I prefer to use clear contact paper for all of my transfers.  You can pick it up at Walmart in the shelving liner section. 

 

Step 3 Transfer Your Design to Your Camp Bucket

 

Ok so before you transfer you’ll want to grab some alcohol and clean off the bucket really good.  This will help the vinyl stick and stay stuck to the bucket.  

For bigger designs like this one, I use the hinge method to transfer the vinyl.   Place a piece of painters tape down the center of the vinyl transfer and stick it to the bucket. 

 

 

Now you can lift just one side of the vinyl transfer and carefully remove the backing.   This helps keep control of the vinyl decal and stops it from getting stuck in a place we don’t want it.  

 

 

Once the backing is removed, hold that side of the decal out at an angle and use your Cricut scraper tool in your other hand to start smoothing down the decal. 

 

 

After you have that side down you can remove the yellow tape down the center.   Remove the backing from your vinyl decal on the other side and repeat the process.  

Once both sides of the decal are down, burnish (rub super hard)  it really well with your scraper tool and then remove the transfer tape. 

 

 

Step 4 Add the LED Puck Lights to Your Bucket

 

Now for the fun part!  Place one of the LED Puck Lights in the bucket.  Use the remote to turn on the light and set it to the color you want.  

 

 

You can set the light to strobe or change through all of the colors too.  

 

Place the lid back on the white camp bucket and enjoy your new personalized camping light.

 

 

Get Your Free Patriotic SVG for Camp Buckets 

 

I keep all of my free SVG files in a resource library for your convenience.  The library is free to subscribers of my newsletter.  When you sign up the link and password to the library will arrive in your inbox right away.  

Once you’re in the library you’ll find all SVG files listed in alphabetical order.   This particular SVG is named Camp Bucket Light in the library.  

Fill out the simple form below to get started.