Wednesday, February 25, 2015

It was only a matter of time.

Hi, gang .... I continue to write, sketch, work Home Depot, and try to get those "mythical" arcade games out to a waiting public. But I have now launched an actual e-commerce Web site called "Apron Art by Tom" to do aprons for Home Depot associates. I do the decals, actually, not whole aprons. I mail completed decals to the purchasers and they iron them on their own aprons. The tipping point toward e-commerce came when my district peeps asked me to do 58 aprons for a big walk event. THAT'S A LOT, in case you didn't guess. I figured I must be onto something. So far I am heavy in California, but have a toe into Oklahoma through a former associate from my store. Arkansas is also in the works; same kind of connection. It will grow slowly, but with 365,000 total employees and scads of events each store hosts, well ... I like my chances. I am very liberal with disclaimers about not being affiliated with Home Depot and have doctored many images to minimize the implications(s), so we'll see what happens. I also donate to H.D.'s charity, the Homer Fund, which might mitigate things. So far I am getting orders through the site from local associates. I'll keep y'all posted.

8 comments:

MrGoodson2 said...

I hope you just evolve right on into the corporate graphics business, work for everyone that needs photoshop and talent to make a maark.
Branding, events. Somehow get teh newsletters that tell you where everything is that will be for the year. Be a high stakes gig acquirer.

Tom Moon said...

Fantastic! You really made your own opportunities here with your initiative. May great success be yours.

Tom Moon said...

If this takes off you may as well open up a factory and go all the way into the printed t-shirt and sportswear business!

Rickart said...

Nice work! There are hundreds of niches out there that need filling by someone... I'm glad you have found one! I gotta get me one of those niches!

MrGoodson2 said...

Rick your niche should probably be the one I'd fill if I wasn't so lazy with no follow through. Your sketch / line work style begs for the faux whiteboard explainer video.

do a bunch of creeples , bw art , erase them in duplicate layers in photoshop- keep tracj of the sequence with layer comps- render that erasure as reverse film- you've got a creeple being drawn on a whiteboard. Helping Tony Robbins get to his audience.

Rickart said...

Heh... Over the weekend Sue had a project for the Preschool she teaches at to make a sign/holder for shopping lists. She made it look like these chalkboard signs you see all over the place these days. It turned out great, and it made me think that if I ever find myself unable to get work in games I can always find work making Starbucks chalkboard signs.

Tom Carroll said...

I would buy one!

The project I am writing right now is a complete "pitch" package for a new TV show based on my experiences at The Home Depot. Working title, "Yellow Is The New Orange." Lots of material to tap into. I will keep you posted on it.

MrGoodson2 said...

It would make a great show Tom. Work me in as the surly plumbing 'associate' trying to avoid troglodytes with faucet repair problems.