Phebe Phillips

"Simplicity of Life Allows Freedom"

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How to Polish a Crown

By Phebe Phillips 8 Comments

How to Polish a Crown

How to Polish a Crown is certainly a topic everyone can use, especially since we’re headed into the holidays—bringing out the good silver, and shining the jewels…and of course, Our Crowns! Almost everyone has something that can benefit from a good polishing. I never liked the smell of silver polish, and the old traditional way of shining things up with paste and a cloth.

Each Fall, I use this method to polish the silver, tossing in any silver jewelry needing a boost. I found this method years ago in a tiny book, Clean: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing by Michael DeJong.

As many of my readers already know, I was a past Queen of the East Texas Yamboree, which is the longest running festival in the State of Texas. At that, I have a Crown, and this month, I’ve had several opportunities in East Texas to wear my Vintage Crown—so I’ve been doing a bit of polishing.

In honor of the 81st East Texas Yamboree, and the past Eighty Crown Wearing Queens…here’s and easy way to Polish Up Those Crowns, Girls!—and the sterling for the Royal Tea Parties!

When polishing silver flatware, I line the kitchen sink in heavy aluminum foil. For the crown, I needed something smaller, so I lined a soup pot.

 

Mouse in Crown

The Recipe

What You Need

  • Kitchen sink, stainless steel pot, or glass dish.
  • Baking Soda
  • Boiling water
  • Kitchen tongs

The Process

  • Line the vessel with aluminum foil.
  • Lay in the items to be polished. Place them where they are each touching the foil. Do not overlap items, give each it’s own space.
  • 1 heaped tablespoon baking soda per one quart water to be used. Sprinkle baking soda onto the dry foil.
  • Boil as much water as needed to cover items. Remember, the baking soda is in the vessel, not in the water you’re boiling.
  • Slowly pour the boiling water over the items.
  • You will have a bubbling, hissing reaction.
  • After a minute, use the tongs and move the items around turning them.
  • Give the process about five minutes.
  • You will notice the tarnish has jumped off the silver, and onto the foil—which is now brown.
  • That’s it!!!
  • Rinse the items in cool water and buff with a cloth.
  • Your “Crown” or silver should look good as new.

Special Note

  • If it is a Crown, using the kitchen tongs turn the Crown upside down, then back upright again. Roll the Crown around, so almost every piece of it touches the foil at some point in this process. Allow about five minutes. Once should be enough, but feel free to repeat the process if Royal Duties require an extra shiny Crown.

Another Special Note

  • Some recipes online mention using sea salt and white vinegar. I have never used these, and find the baking soda to be enough. I’m afraid to use sea salt, as this could be too abrasive and over time potentially cause wear on the surface. However, this is only my unproven opinion.

Some Occasions to Wear My Crown

Official Yamboree Photo
This is the beginning of my Crown Wearing. You can’t really see it, but it’s on my head.
Queens Joyce and Phebe
My mother was a Yamboree Queen. I was the first daughter of a queen, and the first to wear a colored dress. I wish I had her crown.
The Southern Bow
I practiced my bow since about age five.
Phebe in Parade
Five years ago, I got to wear it again in the 75th Anniversary Parade. I will wear it again this year as Parade Grand Marshall this coming Saturday, October 20, 2018.
Phebe and Kathy Murphy
My friend, Kathy Murphy, and creator of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs with 800 chapters in the U.S. I was back home this weekend signing my new book at an afternoon tea. Kathy had to pin my crown on. She did such a great job it didn’t wobble once!
Book Signing, Laughing
This past Friday, October 12th, 2018, was my first book signing held in my hometown. The event was an afternoon tea at the library for the Yamboree Association. It was a very fun day.

Yamboree Information

Comments

  1. Mac says

    October 16, 2018 at 3:30 pm

    You wear it well!

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      October 16, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Janet Kingsley says

    October 16, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    Lov ed the pictures.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      October 16, 2018 at 8:25 pm

      Hi Janet,

      They are fun photos!

      Love, Love ~Phebe

      Reply
  3. kendall says

    October 16, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    It would be way cool to have Aunt Joyce’s crown. Yours is pretty sparkly. And it does go well with red.

    frances

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      November 19, 2018 at 2:23 pm

      Hi Frances,

      Yes, it would. I have no idea where to begin to find it. ~~P

      Reply
  4. Amorette Ritter Burch says

    October 18, 2018 at 6:21 am

    Looking forward to seeing you and your crown this Saturday! Shine bright like a Yam Queen!

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      November 19, 2018 at 2:24 pm

      So much fun!!!! ~~P

      Reply

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Phebe Phillips, 2021, Podcaster, Cat Lover, Poet, Storyteller

Phebe Phillips is best known for whimsical plush toys that filled the shelves of Neiman Marcus, FAO, and many fine retailers for 25-years. Today, she creates The Literary Catcast Podcast—dedicated to the preservation of vintage books and writings with cats as main characters, bringing them into the modern awareness of a podcast. She writes poetry and short essays for publication in journals. She has two upcoming books, Sleeping With Louie—a daughter’s soul journey as an only child of a mother with Borderline Personality Disorder, who was also an only child, and Upper East Side of The Pines—growing up in East Texas during the sweetness of the 1960s. She is married to Mac. They live with six cats! For now, they live in Dallas, Texas until they move deep into the East Texas piney woods in 2022.

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