Trashy Tuesday, I am the Queen of Junk
Why am I the Queen of Junk?! Because I find the BEST stuff!!!
My crown is a bit tarnished. The Queen of Junk’s crown may or not have been at the bottom of a dumpster. The Queen of Junk’s Crown definitely has had a questionable past. Why am I the Queen of Junk or Le Rein de Junque?
I have been taking a break from Dumpster Diving. Even the Queen of Junk must take time off from her royal junking duties My kids go back to school Monday, we are squeezing in the last minutes of summer vacation this week. From the Queen herself, here is a round up of some of my most favorite finds.
My friend Emma gave me this adorable little chair a while ago. It is still in my bedroom awaiting an upholstery makeover, but I love it, and it was Free! The Perfect throne for a Queen of Junk.
I am grateful I can see the light. Can you see the light? This free light serves as my task light in my work area.
I also have task lighting over head. I found this basket light on the top of a dumpster.
I removed all the basket off and hung it over my work table with an Edison Bulb. If I am working on junk, I must have lighting to match the mood! The free basket light sans basket hangs over my junk work table. Remove the light bulb and this light could serve as a nice crown for the Queen of Junk too. 
I love my Dining table that I had to pay $5 for to get everything else I wanted at a garage sale and promise to haul it away. I turned it into a rolling work table. You can read all about it HERE. By the way, I painted the legs with a combo of CeCe Caldwell’s Santa Fe Turquoise and Destin Gulf Green. One of my favorite color combos.
I have found unbelievable treasures like this Steel Trunk that had casters and a cool lock. Seriously, it was next to a dumpster in an Industrial area near Paris Flea Market. So nice for someone to leave it for the Queen.
I gave it a Patina and it sold for a nice sum quite quickly. Check out how I made this Patina Here. 
One of my favorite items I have found was this large Military Issue desk. I found it outside an empty Industrial park office. I took the drawers out early morning (so no one else would take it! ) and came back when work hours started and asked two guys really nicely if they would put it in my van. After all, it was the Queen of Junk asking them…..I actually got it out of my van and into my house by myself. Don’t ask how, it was sheer adrenaline.
I Painted it right where it sat with CeCe Caldwell’s Vintage White. It is big, solid and so functional.
I even meet some new royal subjects when I am dumpster diving. My loyal subject Manny doesn’t have much to say. But Mr. Red certainly has plenty to say….did I mention school is starting soon 🙂 !!!! 
Here is Manny relaxing and reading the paper. He keeps me company in my mess of an office, (which some day I will complete…)
Manny can’t serve the Queen in too many capacities, but he doesn’t mind being dressed up in silly hats sometimes. Mr Red and my other subjects enjoyed giving Manny a CeCe Caldwell’s Splatter Paint Treatment. Manny never said a word of complaint.
If you can’t get enough Trashy Tuesday, you are in luck! Every Tuesday is Trashy Tuesday around here. Now you know why I am the Queen of Junk.
you crack me up- and can school just start next week? 😉
love the overhead lighting- it’s awesome!
I love to bring a little laughter to people’s day 🙂 Yes, for us, school does start Monday! We have “modified traditional”. Shorter summer, three 2 week breaks throughout the year. I love that silly light too. Now I just wish I could find another basket light circa 1975!
Just don’t plug in that basket lamp while you are wearing it as your crown!
You always have the funniest comments. This made me laugh out loud!
Your finds are amazing!! I especially love the lamp shade that you you got rid of and now it’s just the metal shape! SO cool!!
-Bridgette
Thank you so much Bridgette! I have to admit, that lamp shade is one of my faves too. So simple!
Your son is soon cute.
Ah, thanks Dorth!
Thanks for the laughs, I needed that today! I still can’t believe what you find it is amazing.
Thank you so much Diana. Sometimes I can’t believe what I find either!
Manny or Bust – Love the splatters! Your desk looks awesome. You certainly can’t purchase one that sturdy these days. Did you paint the top too? It looks like a Formica? The paint doesn’t chip off or did you prime it first? Thanks for all the Queen advice 🙂
Thank you so much Laura. I did paint the top, I didn’t put any kind of finish on it though. The paint does not chip because it is 100% natural chalk and clay based, not latex, no acrylic, nothing to chip. However, it can wear away if you don’t put a sealer over it. CeCe Caldwell’s carries a product now made for high traffic protection called Endurance. I love it. I even used it on my stairs in my Black and White Stairs post. And nope, no priming. The paint bonds with whatever surface you are painting…usually, if it is really slick, you might consider a primer.
I have used CeCe Caldwell’s paint and love it. Chalk paint is da-bomb! Thanks for the Tip about the new sealer – Endurance. Can’t wait to try it out!! That’s great news to me. My Sister found a cool cabinet that she wants to paint and I am going to send her over here to look around and specifically at your fabulous desk. I have been telling her all about the Chalk Paint. Her cabinet has very old wallpaper stuck to all four sides and she asked me if she should remove it. I wasn’t sure what to tell her but I said no, unless it is peeling. I suggested a light sanding, just to knock off the pattern, just a little. Any advice would be so appreciated. So glad I found your Blog 🙂 Thanks so much!!
You find the darndest things and they’re great, you must have a homing device built in to tell you where things are.
Has anybody ever told you you look like Tinkerbell? Or a pixie? Or both? You crack me up too. Love humor in posts, makes a day go by so much more pleasant. You’re good at it I notice. Queen of Junk or should I spell it Junque? lol Always enjoy your blog posts, wish I lived where people put things by dumpsters or in them or on side of road. No fun at all here (Grand Junction, CO area). You find the most awesome things.
When we lived in San Diego, actually Penasquitos area (east of S.D.) our boys were always coming home with toys for their little sister and all kinds of neat things people would leave by/in dumpsters. There were several dumpsters so guess the kids knew where to find them at good times. When people were moving especially they’d leave things. That was many years ago, wonder if they still do that. We’ve lived a few other places/state since then.
Our kids start on Aug. 4th. here, and they’re not happy about it, it’s hot here now. At least your kids there get those breaks, not here. Happy summer days
JaneEllen, I find so many things just piled up next to Dumpsters. Especially where people are moving more often. You may not be finding good stuff now, but Grand Junction is beautiful! Thank you so much for the sweet comments. My mother used to call me a pixie when I was little. Good luck with kids starting school soon!
I have to ask you when you go dumpster diving how do you pick the places to go. Do you go to industrial parks where they have various businesses or do you go through apt. complexes? I would like to try it but don’t know where I should go for dumpsters. Can you give me some advise as to where I can go to find dumpsters? I really would appreciate your answer and advice. I have to say I love your finds.
Best regards
Happy dumpster finding
Debbie
Hi Debra, all of those great questions are answered in my three part series “The Complete Guide to Dumpster Diving”. There is a link in this post.
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