Stenciled Bucket Gift Idea

Lora Bloomquist
by Lora Bloomquist
4 Materials
$25
30 Minutes
Easy

Old metal buckets have great patina themselves, but they can turn into a charming gift idea with a couple DIY touches. If you can't find an old one, a new galvanized bucket would work, too. If you have organic eggs and garden produce, this cute bucket makes a great hostess gift, full of your home-grown bounty!

Clean and Refresh an Old Galvanized Pail


First, if your old metal pail is rusty and rough looking, give it the vintage beauty treatment I give all my old metal, HERE. It will be clean, wipeable and ready for indoor-worthy decorating or gifting.

Choose a Farmhouse-Friendly Stencil and Stencil Bucket


Stenciling a round bucket is kind of challenging. Use plenty of painter's tape to keep your stencil in place. For a classic look on this darker bucket, I simply used white craft paint. For stencil information, click through to my full post in my profile, below.

When stenciling, you can use a pouncing method or a swirling motion with your stencil brush. Because metal is kind of slippery, I use the swirling motion to keep better control. Paint around the edges first and work your way into the middle. Variation of color is a good thing; it will look better to not have it all filled in thickly.

If your bucket is lighter color, you may want to use a colored paint. Classic white looks good on this darker color bucket.

Fill your Stenciled Bucket with Home-Grown Bounty


Put a bit of shredded paper in the bottom of your bucket and then fill with your home-grown edibles. Fresh eggs, herbs, veggies, or fruits will make a great hostess gift. Tie on a bit of raffia on the handle and a bit of cute ribbon for a gift-worthy presentation!

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Lora Bloomquist
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Christine Christine on Apr 29, 2021

    Do you need to line the bucket with something before planting?

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 3 comments
  • Dream Weaver Dream Weaver on Apr 29, 2021

    I love how this looks! I was wondering about how well the paint used in the stencil weathers? I thought it might be fun to do this for outdoor galvanized buckets. Any suggestions for paint to use or ways to preserve the stencil effect?

    • See 1 previous
    • Dream Weaver Dream Weaver on Apr 30, 2021

      Thank you so much for your detailed response. Great to know. Thanks again!

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