To Wish Upon a Star

Hey there Superstars!

Labor Day has come and gone – we hope you had a wonderful long weekend with friends and family! (I can’t believe how fast this year is flying by – can you?)

I’ve always been fascinated by this particular holiday – I mean we literally take a day off work in order to celebrate…well, work.  A bit ironic, don’t you think?

President's Challenge [if you choose to accept it]:

I will personally send a $25 Starlette Gift Card to the first 3 people who post a video to Facebook, Instagram or TikTok of themselves singing (or lip syncing) to "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette while wearing their favorite Starlette jewelry.

(Note – you must tag or mention Starlette to qualify for the Challenge Prize)

A Spark in the Darkness

I learned the importance of hard work when I was very young.  I was raised by a single mom and for much of my childhood I watched her work 2 and sometimes even 3 jobs to take care of our family.  To this day, she is still my hero and my role model.  We never had a lot, but we always had enough, and our home was always filled with love and compassion.  By the time I was about 11 years old, I knew that I wanted to find a way to help contribute to our family and share the load, so I got my first paper route, and I’ve been working ever since.

The funny thing about work (and perhaps life in general) is that sometimes we get recognized by others and rewarded for our efforts, but more often than not no one really notices - it's up to us to recognize our own value and build our own unbreakable sense of self-worth.  Sometimes, it even seems like the more we care, the harder we work, and the more of ourselves we give to others, the worse things seem to get.  But if you can look inward, find the grit and resilience that lives inside of each one of us, and have the courage to stay true to yourself even when things are falling apart around you and you feel alone, eventually you will find a spark of light in the darkness that can lead you into a new chapter of life with exciting new opportunities.

That’s exactly what happened to Angela and me a few years ago, and ultimately that little spark of light is what led us here to Starlette.  Even after all of the personal tragedies we had endured, we knew we still had so much to offer and we believed we could make a bigger impact if we could just find the right opportunity and surround ourselves with people who shared our vision – to bring more light, kindness, love, joy and sparkle into the world. 

Now, you may be asking yourself, “What does that vision have to do with jewelry?”.  That’s a great question, and honestly, it’s one that I kept asking myself over and over again when Angela and I were trying to decide whether or not to purchase Starlette Galleria.  The answer came to me not in some great epiphany, but in a question from my teenage daughter, Annabelle. 

Time Is of the Essence

Personally, I’ve never worn much jewelry, but I’ve always loved watches – ever since my mom got me an Armitage calculator watch for my birthday when I was in third grade (yes – I’m a bit of a math nerd).  One day last summer I was picking a watch to wear for the day when Annabelle, who is an amazing writer and wants to be an author when she grows up, asked me what the deal was with me having so many watches.  She seemed genuinely interested, so for the next half hour we stood there in my closet as she listened intently to me telling her the story behind all 14 watches in my collection. 

As we talked, I realized that I wasn't really talking about the watches themselves - I was passing down to my daughter a history of important and memorable moments in my life – from my great-grandfather’s pocket watch passed down to me when my grandpa died, to the first watch I ever bought for myself when I got my first job (it cost $200 and 25 years later I still get compliments when I wear it), to the 3 different watches my eldest daughter, Chloe, had given me as gifts over the years, to other ones that commemorated major career milestones, family milestones or personal achievements. 

Each piece told a short chapter of the story of my life – each one brought back memories and reliving those moments as I shared them with my daughter reminded me how wonderful and precious life is.  I felt happy.  I felt proud of the things I had done in my life.  I felt connected – to my family and to my past.  I felt hope and renewed confidence that even though I was at a low point, I could do great things again and create more beautiful memories, regardless of how much I had been beaten down over the past few years. 

Now every time I put on one of those watches, I think about the story behind it – how it’s not just a watch, but a reflection and amplification of the good things in me and a symbol of my future potential. And ironically, none of those wonderful thoughts or feelings has anything whatsoever to do with how much any of those watches cost.  Good jewelry lasts.  It holds our memories.  It makes us smile.  It lends us confidence on the days when we're coming up a little short and makes us feel beautiful.  

Wish Upon a Star

The other night I was up late working on some home maintenance projects. At one point around midnight, I was walking outside to my garage, when I looked up at a clear, crisp night sky filled with stars and found myself reflecting on how we are each gifted with a universe of possibilities during our lives and how infinite human potential is and by extension.  I thought back to when I was about 8 years old, sitting by the window of the room my mom and I shared in my grandparents’ house looking up at the stars.  I did that a lot back then - I would try to find and name as many constellations as I could, then my mom and I would take turns retelling the ancient stories of gods, heroes, triumphs, and tragedies that were written in those stars.  And occasionally, I would see one of those stars burn brighter for an instant and then streak across the night sky…and I would close my eyes and make a wish.

I think that's where every great thing in life begins - with a wish.  Afterall, a wish is really an idea - a dream, a vision, a prayer - that we put out into the universe.  If we take our wishes and nurture them with hard work, dedication, and passion, then someday they may no longer be our wishes - they will be our reality.

The word Starlette is defined as, “a heavenly body visible from earth”.  I have always believed that names hold tremendous power – that how we define ourselves can, and often does, shape our choices, our experiences, and our results.  For me, Starlette is more than a brand name, it is an extension of who we are as individuals and as a connected community.  It is a commitment to help lift one another to new heights, to celebrate each other’s strength, resilience, and beauty, to spread joy, compassion, love and light.  In a world where so many people seem fixated on dimming the light of those around them, we strive every day to do the opposite.

We want to see you shine brightly – to be courageous, to be bold, to be confident, to be beautiful, to break through barriers, to inspire others, to sparkle like the stars – to be your best self, to turn your wishes and dreams into reality and to look amazing while doing it! 

One of the most awe-inspiring examples of the Starlette spirit lives in our VIP Superstar, Amy Tisdale.  Amy became a Starlette customer last January (2024), after connecting with us on Facebook.  She is a devoted wife and mother, and she is also a stroke survivor.  Although, if you’ve met Amy, or know her story, you would say that she is so much more than a survivor – she is a THRIVER.  After suffering a stroke in 2021 while watching a Dallas Cowboys football game, and enduring the 7 brain surgeries that followed, Amy could have easily given up hope, but that’s not the story she chose to write in her stars. Instead, she began a new chapter and with faith, hope, love, a lot of hard work, a winning sense of humor, and the support of those around her, her light is shining brighter than ever. 

[As another exciting season of football kicks off, I feel it's important to note that in a local news interview earlier this year, Amy did tell reporters that watching the Dallas Cowboys was not the cause of her stroke.  However, as lifelong Green Bay Packers fans, Angela and I remain skeptical.] ;)

Since her stroke, Amy has become a published author, a public speaker, an advocate for people living with disabilities, and a successful brand executive at a company that recently made the top 120 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest growing companies.  Earlier this year she was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma USA and in July was selected as a National Finalist in the Ms. Wheelchair USA competition…and even after all that she has accomplished, something tells me that Amy has only just begun.

In celebration of Amy, of Labor Day and of all YOUR hard work over the past year, Angela and I decided this morning that it’s a perfect time to have a FLASH SALE!  So, from now through Monday, 9/8 use code WORKHARD30 to get 30% off any jewelry from our Work Hard, Play Hard Collection (orders of $75 or more).  This collection was personally curated by Angela for the ultimate styles that help you look and feel your best when you’re kicking butt and taking names at the office, and then offer an effortless transition to evening activities – whether that’s a happy hour with co-workers, a client dinner, girls night out, date night, or pizza and movie night at home. 

I’ve included links to a couple of our personal favorites from this collection right here in this post if you haven’t seen it yet.

	Larimar Oval Cut Stud Earrings in Silver - For Classic Elegance
Starlette's Millennium Ring in Gold - A Total Stunner

As always – thank you for stopping by to spend some time with us and thank you for being part of our wonderful and extraordinary community of Starlette Superstars!  In closing this installment, I’d like to leave you with an old quote that I keep on the wall of my office, which continues to help inspire me to work hard and to wish upon and reach for the stars – even on the days when the obstacles feel insurmountable this quote always helps unleash my inner Ted Lasso and turns the "impossible" into "I'm Possible".

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all.  Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach.  The world you desire can be won.  It exists…it is real…it is possible…it is yours.”                                                                                                        - A.R.

We hope you’re enjoying our new Sparkle More blog and we know that there are so many Superstars across our community that have amazing and inspiring stories.  If you have a story you'd like to share, please drop us a note at info@shopstarlette.com or feel free to post it the comments below.  We’d love to hear from you!

Dream Big and Sparkle More,

Tim