Desk Diaries Vol. IV

With holiday season upon us, I was thinking about how I've approached my Christmas list as a young adult. As a teenager it used to be all about the quantity, I wanted as many clothes and accessories as possible. My go-to shopping destination used to be Urban Outfitters, I loved their colorful sneakers, trendy dresses and vintage rock band tees. These days I lean towards quality when it comes to picking out a gift for myself, making investment pieces my new favorite thing to shop for. Most recently my list has included cashmere sweaters, vintage Chanel handbags and vintage Chanel tweed jackets, styles that I know I will have forever and never go out of style. Bonus points for creating memories with my Mom hunting each vintage piece down from Manhattan and Dallas consignment shops. 

Last year, I put something new at the top of my list: an investment watch. Something elegant, simple and classic to take with me into my thirties and beyond. I loved that Cartier re-issued their Panthere collection, which led me on a 4 month journey of tracking down the perfect vintage style from their original collection circa 1980s to 1990s, plus the lower price tag is always a plus when it comes to second hand investment finds! My vintage Cartier watch has become my #1 wardrobe staple, I wear it every single day without fail. I love how delicate and understated it is, but what really makes me smile everyday are the fond memories of me and my Dad looking at countless watches and finally finding "the one" at a local Dallas estate jeweler.

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Vintage Cartier Panthere Watch

Vintage Silk Scarves

2017 has been an amazing year of firsts at Sweet & Spark. Our first vintage designer jewelry collection and our first vintage scarf collection being my two favorites. The next up-and-coming collection we've been growing the past few months has been vintage designer scarves from names like Emilio Pucci, Oscar de la Renta, Liberty of London and Gucci. (PS We just picked up an Hermes peony printed scarf, coming soon!) Similar to vintage jewelry, there is so much history behind each piece. Jillian and I have also gone through a few learning curves when it comes to dating the pieces or knowing what trademarks to look for from designer to designer. My favorite new finds right now are the floral printed Gucci scarves from the 1970s through the 1980s. 

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Sweet & Spark Vintage Designer Scarves and Jewelry

Back to School

I will be attending a jewelry academy for a Spring and Summer semester this year! After working as a designer in the fashion industry for years, I have always wanted to learn more about the craft of making jewelry by hand so that I can fabricate my own designs. After moving to San Francisco this year, I finally had the chance to enroll at a school out here. My courses will focus on bench jeweler techniques like soldering, filing, casting, stone setting, polishing, repairs and diamond grading.

For my classes, there's a lot I have to carry back and forth... Pliers, files, safety goggles, a saw frame, drills... You get the picture! I've partnered with Radley for my go-to backpack. The Kennington Large Domed Backpack is sleek, modern and practical. I love the structured shape, perfect for carrying around my projects and other fragile tools!

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Radley Kennington Large Domed Backpack