goals

SO- a group of artist/business women (though men could join if they wanted to...) and I have been meeting once a month to talk about business and art and how to do them together. Our topic for next meeting is our goals for our business. it's a hard one, for me anyway...I know some people go into a business with a "business plan" which I'm sure is a good idea, but my plan was just to stay home, send my art out, and make some money doing it.... Well, I guess I should be happy because that is what I have done so far, but I would like to make it (my business) bigger, and make a bit more money at it (health insurance would be nice, and so would savings!) so I am coming up with new goals for my business and my art. 1. To buy a printing press- don't know what kind (old letterpress with a motor), but it's time I gave my body a rest and joined the 18th century (haha). 2. Find someone to silkscreen my fabrics for a reasonable price! 3. Find a small, local seamstress shop to sew new, fun things at a reasonable price! ( i like to sew, but not dozens of multiples.) 4. Be more of "the designer" than "the manufacturer". I love to carve blockprints and sew the first of something, but that is enough, let the manufacturing pros handle the manufacturing. 5. Expand my line- pillows and other homewares, wrapping paper, notebooks etc. more bags- I love bags 6. Work on more of my bigger pieces- have gallery shows again. 7. More promotion. Anyway, that is it for now, if anyone has any ideas on these goals of mine, feel free to chime in!! oh- I just included the picture so it wouldn't be all words-

bummed

These are illustrative of how I feel today- It really shouldn't bother me by now (8+ years of selling cards), BUT- on top of an otherwise crappy day I got a phone call from a bookstore I just sent cards to saying that 2 styles of my cards seem to have a lot of "extraneous ink" on them like "something was wrong in the printing process". Well I am the printing process, each card is hand inked and hand pressed. So some of the carving lines sometimes pick up ink and print too- in my view it is the charm of hand printing and what makes each card truly unique. What should I make of that? Well so I guess I will just call tomorrow and offer to exchange them-as they are a consistant account..... I just hate it, and it makes me not want to hand print anymore- does anyone know about Offset Printing?