I constantly get asked where I got the name for my company, which is Half the Sky Designs LLC. Why “half the sky?” – that’s what people are curious about.

It comes from the Chinese saying, “Women hold up half the sky.” (Yes, I know – even the guys admit we hold up more than that.) I also think there’s nothing like that wide open feeling you get when you tilt your head way back and gaze skyward. During the day, the sky serves up that lyrical blue, the texture of clouds and a blast of sunlight. At night, it’s the subtle shimmer of stars that delights the eye, with the moon dangling overhead like a pendant.

That’s why, since time immemorial, when an artist has needed inspiration, all she had to do was walk outside, look straight up and breathe deep. (The word “inspiration” is actually a synonym for “inhaling.” Who knew?) It’s a given that creativity springs from inspiration. But what springs from creativity?

At Half the Sky, we’re all about the 3 “C’s”: creativity, confidence and community. I truly believe that nothing inspires confidence like newfound creativity. Just try one project. Once you’ve gone from “I’m not creative” to “Wow, I made that,” you’ll start to think about all those other things you keep saying “I can’t” to and wonder if perhaps, after all, you can do them.

That’s what I did, years ago, when a friend of mine cajoled me into making my first pair of earrings. From there it was onto necklaces and decoupage (which is just paper and glue – the same stuff you’ve been playing with since kindergarten). Now I’ve added building bookcases and starting my own business to my repertoire. And did I forget to mention designing eco-friendly handbags?

Maybe it’s time for you to find out how simple learning a new skill can be, to discover the satisfaction that comes from freeing the colors and shapes in your mind’s eye and fashioning them into something for the whole wide world to see.

All you have to do is take a deep breath and plunge in.
XOXO Marty