By MARIA KACIK

Staff Writer

Self-proclaimed idea man Rob Hixenbaugh of Montville Township said he spread out a pile of plain T-shirts in an array of colors to gain inspiration for his next big idea.

The idea that resulted — T-shirts that allow their wearers to express their feelings through the shirts’ vibrant hues — would become a line of soon-to-be nationally selling men’s and women’s garments called Say It with Color.

“It’s almost one of those ideas that people look at and say, ‘Gosh, it’s such a simple idea,’ ” said Hixenbaugh. “That’s sometimes I think what makes the best ideas. You don’t think too much about it. It’s just there.”

The Say It with Color line takes a colorful phrase, such as red hot, tickled pink or green thumb, and allows the color of the shirt to express the color in the phrase. The line therefore offers a red T-shirt with the word “hot” across the chest, a pink shirt with the word “tickled” and a green shirt with the word “thumb.” Currently, Say it with Color offers 13 vivid shirts.

“It’s just a great way to express yourself with color-related clothes,” said Hixenbaugh, who is a mortgage specialist with First Funding Mortgage Corp. in Brecksville. Two years ago, Hixenbaugh created a mosaic of the American flag that was made up of hundreds of pictures from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He printed the picture on lithographs and T-shirts and sold them, raising $30,000 for fallen firefighters funds.

Hixenbaugh said his latest venture is much more lighthearted. “It’s just a fun thing,” he said.

But the fun has involved a lot of work. Hixenbaugh, who puts in a regular work week with his mortgage job, said he sometimes works on the Say It with Color line until 3 a.m.

He has lined up a T-shirt wholesaler, T-shirt printer and a company to make the tags.

“We’re making it a brand. You’re not going to get a shirt with a Hanes tag on it,” he said.

In addition, he has created a Web site, www.sayitwithcolor.net, on which the T-shirts can be bought for $14.99.

Hixenbaugh said everyone who has seen the shirt, including potential retailers, so far have told him the shirts are a wonderful idea. He is marketing the line to boutiques throughout the country, many of them in Los Angeles.

“It’s funny. Before me actually telling somebody what the idea is, I would show them a bunch of shirts. And they would just say, ‘Man.’ And they just wouldn’t get it at first,” he explained, smiling. “And finally they would go, ‘Oh, what an awesome idea.’ ”

Hixenbaugh said even Ellen DeGeneres seems to like the idea. He has been in contact with producers of the star’s talk show to possibly give away Hixenbaugh’s “Go Green” shirt to members of the show’s taping audience. The shirt, green with the word “Go” printed in white letters, is made of 100 percent organic material.

“Ellen is really green-friendly,” said Hixenbaugh. “If I can get that out there on the Ellen DeGeneres show that would be fantastic. That would help move it along.”

Kacik may be reached at 330-721-4049 or business@ohio.net.