I was very honored to speak at the Maternal Society today. Here is a copy of my talk if you are interested. As usual, we all got to chatting and I threw my script out the window. THe ladies were so nice and I felt so at home.
Maternal Society Ladies Tea, Long Meadow MA
October 4, 2016
Good Afternoon and thank you for this lovely opportunity to speak with you today. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Malena Chipps. My husband Bruce and I moved here from Westwood, CA a few years ago to enjoy the peace and quiet New England is so famous for. We have never been happier and feel so blessed to be here.
Last fall, my husband met the previous owner of Fancy That Antiques and found it amusing he was moving to California to enjoy the fast paced life while we had just left to enjoy the peaceful life here. We quickly jumped on the opportunity to buy the store after seeing it’s potential. My husband and his family are well versed in antiques and I had worked in fine jewelry off and on for 20 years so the store was a perfect fit for our interests.
Our little shop has come a long way in one years time. Although the space was unique in it’s own way when we purchased it, I wanted to give the building a warm feminine touch. I wanted our neighbors to feel comfortable in my store. After all, selling your Grandmother’s furs and jewelry IS a rather emotional experience. There are a few things I would like to speak with you about today. I often wonder how to connect young people to something other than a smart phone and get them interested in history.
TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT HISTORY THROUGH ANTIQUES
I have one daughter of my own and many borrowed children who bless me with the title of Mom. I love the ability to teach my daughter new vocabulary words and different subjects in a way she can understand. I never miss an opportunity to teach her a new word or discuss a time in history she is unfamiliar with. The shop has come in handy for this way of teaching.
Sometimes I will use a necklace or a piece of art to get her interested in a time period she is unfamiliar with. I’ve found it far more effective than reading a history book to her. They DO tend to be rather dry. For example, we recently purchased a small lot of Edwardian & Victorian jewelry. I came home and showed my daughter these beautiful pieces and told her that they were over three hundred years old. Obviously she was rather intrigued.
I told her how they made jewelry out of human hair and gemstones out of decomposed wood and earth (JET). This opened the door for me to teach her about the inventions of that time, what people wore, how they spoke and what was important to them. History came alive and it peaked her interest. It was much easier for her to remember historical facts because they were now associated with things of beauty, not just dates.
Children are always learning and it is up to us to make history come alive for our children, grand children and great grand children. Helping our youth unplug and experience what our natural work has to offer.
As women we are the glue that holds our families together. As our children get older they developed their own tastes and their own personalities. Although our first inclination is to mold them into miniature versions of us it is far more interesting and rewarding to watch the blossom into a completely different flower than who we are. Their strengths and talents are far more grounded with a much better chance of prospering into an abundant life if we just sit back and give them love and encouragement and not push our beliefs on them. This leads me to my next subject which I think all of us can relate to. What do we do with all of our crystal, silverware, furs and jewelry that our children do not want?
How to sell your inherited or unwanted luxury items without guilt.
We have spend our lives collecting beautiful things in hopes our children will cherish them as much as we do. But, what do they do if they have no interest in them at all? We can’t very well have a Limoge and Tiffany tag sale without also having a panic attack!
It is my belief that we have a choice at every juncture of our lives how we react to everything that happens. We can choose to be upset they’re not interested in the same things we are or we can find ways to give them joy WITH those same unwanted items.
Recently I gave my antique LIMOGES china set to an auction house. I watched in horror as it sold for $20. Now, I could choose to get mad or I could use that experience to give my daughter joy. I chose to give my daughter the money for an afternoon movie. We saw Ben Hur. It was a wonderful movie with some fantastic messages on forgiveness. She came out of the movie saying how it was time to let go of the hatred she felt for people in the past who have wronged her. She also learned more about the history of Jerusalem.
Now, the Limoges $20 sale was a painful loss but the gain of her letting go of resentment was worth more than all the china in the world! I will always be able to remember that wonderful afternoon we spent talking about Jesus and forgiveness, a subject we never would have SUCCESSFULLY had without the $20 Limoge china money.
Now when it comes time to sell a keepsake, I put it towards something fun for us to do together because those memories are priceless!
All those unwanted but fancy items will find homes. People who could have never afforded them are reveling in their splendor because I let go of them and shared them with the world. If you look at it that way, it might be less painful for you.
Watch the trends when you are going to sell something. Call someone you trust and look at the SOLD listings on ebay. I’m always here to help you. It doesn’t matter if you sell to me, I want you to be happy and feel you got the best deal. I would never want anyone to take advantage of me or my mother, so honesty with my customers is always the best policy.
Thank you for allowing me to speak with you today. I has been an honor to be here with you.
