#Veterans of Tumblr

[www-tommydesigns-store]

A Journey to Custom Designs: The Struggles, Sarcasm, and Camouflage

So, here I am, on the brink of my third year trying to start a business without diving into the world of paid advertising. Why? Because I’d rather not spend my hard-earned time dealing with marketer spam while trying to build something meaningful. I mean, time is the only resource we can’t replenish, right?

Let’s be real: I started from rock bottom—no family support, no moral compass guiding me, and certainly no fan club cheering me on. I often wonder if my wife's family thinks I'm allergic to work. But let me set the record straight: I’ve clocked in 20 years in various jobs, working so hard that I could probably run my last job with my eyes closed and half-asleep. And just to clarify, I wasn’t exactly living the easy life—think roofing and setting up mobile homes. Fun, right? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

I got burnt out, not by choice, but because my knack for honesty apparently made me too “real” for the job market. I mean, who needs honesty when you can hire someone to sing your praises, right? I’ve learned the hard way that companies often prefer a butt-kisser over a hardworking, honest employee. Believe me, I could write a book about the places I worked that still owe wages to former employees. Apparently, "free labor" is a thing if you can’t afford a lawyer. The way they dehumanize workers? It’s like watching a circus act, except you’re the clown.

Living in a town of 400 people has its perks—mainly the chance to witness some truly questionable decisions in the local job market. Once you call someone out, your employment chances become as slim as a supermodel on a diet. But you know what? I firmly believe in doing what’s morally right, even if it means putting my foot in my mouth (again). Sure, I still have bills piling up like my laundry basket, but this blog? It’s my little escape.

Now, let me take you back a bit. I somehow managed to squeeze in a year of college before we were almost tossed out of our home. I had nearly a full ride with scholarships and grants until, wouldn't you know it, someone went and told the world I was trying to make something of myself. Suddenly, the chair was pulled out from under me, and it was back to work or school—there wasn’t enough time for both. With 14-hour days becoming the norm, we barely had time to breathe, let alone hit the books.

Oh, and before I forget, I also proudly served my country for eight years in the armed forces. You’d think that would count for something, right? But no! I had a staff sergeant who couldn’t handle my views and opinions—guess they were clouding his brown-nosing abilities. So, I gracefully exited at the end of my service, leaving behind the buddy-buddy system that nearly derailed my military career.

Currently, I’m glued to my computer while living with family since our power’s out at home. My kids are staying with their aunt until we can all fit back under one roof. I miss them every day. Sure, they visit often, but it’s not the same as snuggling on the couch together. I’m also waiting on a job that involves leaving for 27-day stints on a boat. For a family man, that’s about as fun as a root canal. But here we are, just trying to hold on to the last threads of our sanity as everything crumbles around us. Life’s a real kick in the teeth, isn’t it?

Despite having nothing, I’d still give anyone the shirt off my back if it helps them out. But when does it start looking up for us? I mean, I’m basically a keyboard warrior at this point, sometimes staying up for 2-3 days straight, adding products to my site or revamping SEO until it shines like a freshly polished car. Here’s hoping Google isn’t suppressing me again for some ridiculous policy issues. All I’m trying to do is feed my family and get the lights back on, but it feels like the universe is playing a cruel joke.

My car is on its last leg, and unless I find a U-joint that’s practically extinct, I’m stuck. I’ve managed to keep the thing running for far too long, but at this point, I might as well buy a new driveshaft (at a cool $1500) or another car altogether. Fun fact: the most I’ve ever paid for a vehicle was $3,800. Who needs car payments, am I right? Work around here is as seasonal as the weather, and you can’t exactly haul 20-ton mobile homes over soggy ground or balance on roofs when it’s snowing.

Now, sorry for the long-winded intro—let’s get to the meat of this blog and the photos I’ll be sharing. Please don’t forget to like, share, comment, follow, etc.

Lately, I’ve been designing custom patterns, primarily camouflage. And one day, I thought, why not throw in some cannabis patterns to support legalization in my home state of Alabama? People down here act like they’re the gatekeepers of freedom, deciding who gets access to what. It’s a shame the pharmaceutical companies have their hands in the mix too. Shows you just how “free” we really are. But hey, people are going to do what they want, whether it’s through a licensed pharmacy or an unlicensed one. So here’s my take: mind your own business, and you won’t have time to meddle in mine.

So, I’ve released a new mix in my shop—what I envision #marijuana and #camouflage would look like as a pattern. I also create all my own camouflage designs for the clothing featured on my profiles or at www.tommydesigns.store (shameless plug).

A bit about me for those curious about how I landed in this field: not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Some of us get the raw end of the deal from day one, and I am definitely one of those people. If something can go wrong, it probably will. But I have the willpower to tackle nearly any challenge that comes my way.

I've been on this entrepreneurial journey for a while now, trying to keep my morals intact while navigating the murky waters of business. Being brutally honest can make it tough to find friends, a decent job, or even much of anything. I’ve been unemployed for three years—not because I’m lazy. I’m out there daily, working on the house, running errands, and rebuilding my website from scratch whenever I can’t make a payment.

I can’t seem to figure out why my sales are nonexistent. My website’s performance and SEO are solid, but I’m missing some secret sauce. I refuse to invade anyone's inbox—seriously, who likes spam? So, to any marketers out there reading this: if you’re not offering genuine, free information without a Fiverr link attached, just keep on scrolling.

On a brighter note, I create most of my graphics from scratch and occasionally use AI for reference. I’ve even penned six books on Amazon—mostly guides, how-tos, and self-help gems. Unfortunately, without any advertising budget, it’s a slow burn. I’ve studied top companies, and yet, I can’t pinpoint what’s missing in my strategy.

This isn’t about me seeking handouts. I believe in taking care of my own. Crowdfunding has proven to be a bit of a dead end without ads, so I set up a simple PayPal link on my social pages. If anyone wants to read my story, I’ll add it to this post.

So, there you have it—my journey through the ups and downs of starting a business while trying to keep a sense of humor. If you enjoy what I’m doing, please consider supporting my journey. Life’s tough, but so am I.

Website Links:

Amazon Author Page:

Discover the world of storytelling on my Amazon Author Page, where you’ll find a diverse collection of books spanning various genres, including self-help, survival, and fiction. Explore titles like "Survive & Thrive: Easy DIY Survival Tips & Tricks," designed to inspire and empower readers. Your support by purchasing or reviewing my books helps me continue to create and share valuable content. #AmazonAuthor #SupportIndieAuthors #BookCommunity

Paypal Link:

Paypal QR Code:

Stripe QR Code

Stripe Link:

Other and Social Links:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/l337app  

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/designs_tommy

Threads Profile: https://www.threads.net/@designs_tommy 

TikTok Profile & Shop: https://www.tiktok.com/@tommy_designs

Pinterest Profile: https://www.pinterest.com/Designs_Tommy/

X/Twitter Profile: https://x.com/designs_tommy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tommy_Designs

Mastodon Profile:https://mastodon.social/@tommydesigns 

Tumblr Blog: https://www.tumblr.com/tommydesigns2024 

DesignHill (Services & Products): https://www.designhill.com/member/tommyscouture 

BlueSky Page: https://bsky.app/profile/tommymarcum.bsky.social 

Redbubble(Store & Portfolio):  https://L337Apparel.redbubble.com 

ArtStation(Store & Portfolio): https://www.artstation.com/tommy_designs 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommydesignsstore/ 

Twitch(Streaaming): https://www.twitch.tv/tommyscouture 

Throne(support streamers): https://throne.com/tommyscouture 

Beacons Page(Link in Bio/Subscribe): https://beacons.ai/tommydesigns

Tommy Designs(Main Apparel Store): https://tommy-designs-store.printify.me/ 

Instagram Bot  https://aistudio.instagram.com/ai/1071617124303632/?utm_source=share

[skysmadness]

they were trying to use leader privileges (it didn't work)

[fishonable]

eye guys 🔥🔥🔥

[tacc0yak1]

grandpa doodles before i skidaddle back to work….

[giotanner]

If Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish has a dirty job to handle, he already knows his Captain John Price, will be there to clean it up with him, no questions asked. One thing I appreciate about MWII (and the thing with Shepherd in MWIII) and the og Call of Duty games is how we see Price as a morally gray character—someone whose loyalty isn’t aligned strictly with duty, but first and foremost with his men. His loyalty lies there above all. The Task Force is called 141 (one for one), but he’s always got their six.

(If you like it support me with REBLOGS- it helps always a lot to stay in CoD circle!)

tiktok | buy my CoD prints and stickers!

[thescarisonthewrongside]

Doodle of a towards the sun scene I found funny!! (Fic by @muffinlance on ao3)

[maesonc-artistic-adventures]

Of Warriors and Gods.

[t00thpasteface]

mom texted me out of the blue asking "who was that artist who did those paintings of fat cats and round-headed people?" and i was like "let me check" (less than thirty seconds elapse) "fernando botero!" and she was like "that was fast! what were your search terms??" and i was like. well i just googled His Name Is Snart...

[i-promise-i-am-not-on-drugs]

[drawglodyte]

Hold still, Heretic!

[justplaggin]

me: why does this guy remind me of a c- no i must be seeing things

filmography: tiger (2020), cat demon lord (2023), werecat (2024)

tumblr:

further evidence:

the guy himself irl:

general consensus: pspspspspspsps

me: oh

[buckhead1111]

Veterans Day

buckhead1111

[cock-guillotine]

web taking a break from complaining about his catastrophic diarrhoea to talk about how much he hates republicans. he really was born to be a blogger

[kxmpfflieger]

Kingdom of Heaven ocs and their narrative pair...if u care .

[kvtnisseverdeen]

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON + minimalist posters (click to enlarge)

[burberryhat]

im taking all of my demons 👹 [ happy halloween!! ]

instagram / twitter / tiktok / do not repost or re-sell my art