For those of you who have iPhones and frequently want to take pictures to post on your blog, Facebook page, Flickr, or other platforms, you may have previously been disappointed in the quality of the photos. In many cases, the contrast and color of the iPhone photos do not do the design justice. There are two iPhone apps—AutoStitch and Touch FX—that I recently started using that have significantly changed the quality of the photos that I can take with my phone.

AutoStitch:

AutoStitch allows you to take multiple overlapping photos that you can then “stitch” together for a panoramic view.  This is great for getting more of a room into the pictures.

One part of the image, before AutoStitch

And again, after AutoStitch

I am typically very stingy with spending money on apps, but I found the $2.99 for this app to be a well-spent business expense.  Now, when I take photos of any of our design projects in process or when I want to photograph the entire vignette at High Point Furniture Market, I am not limited.

Touch FX

For 99 cents, this photo editing app for your iPhone is also business money well spent.  I find most of my iPhone photos to lack contrast in color.  With Touch FX, you use your finger as a brush to touch up your photos.  You can also use your “brush” to make your photo sepia, black-and-white, posterized and more.  I particularly think that the “Contrast” tool is the most important for taking design photos and really punching up your colors and textures.  In the photo below, I used the contrast tool to doctor the left-hand side of the photo and the right hand side is untouched.  You can see the brightness and difference.

Left side– Touch FX contrast tool used; Right side– untouched

Todd Whiting, one of our GDM advisory board members, is the creator of Touch FX so that is how I found out about it.  I must say that I went kicking and screaming to actually spend money for an app (even an app made by someone I know- sorry Todd).  However, I can honestly say that these two apps, often combined, have made a huge difference in the caliber of photos that I can take and post with just my iPhone.

Happy picture taking!

The Gibson Design Management team has been on the road a lot recently– from New York City to  California to Boston and Anguilla (and beyond)– ’tis clearly the season to vacation.  Out of a great appreciation for travels past, present and future, the team has gathered some of their best jet-setting memories:

“My funniest vacation memory comes from a much earlier family vacation at Club Med in Florida.  There were a lot of fun acrobatic activities that my sister and cousins were all excited to try.  I had my first trapeze experience and loved flying (and falling) through the air.  The embarrassing part comes in when they asked the kids in our family to participate in their weekly circus performance.  Not only were the routines humiliating, but the outfits made it so much worse… bright pink unitards (I wish I was kidding)!” – Amanda Butterworth, Senior Director, Creative Services

Amanda flying high in Florida

“On our family road trips I was always the kid who had a knack for having to use the ladies room in the most unpleasant parts of town. It coined me the nick-name ‘ghetto-bladder.’” – Lolly Rush, Project Manager

“One of the funniest vacation memories is one that I am sure many share with me.  My parents, two brothers and I took a road trip to Yellowstone in the mid-60’s, and the assault on our olfactory senses made for many giggles, both then and now!” – Martha Kirkpatrick, Director, Member Services

“I have quite the arsenal of embarrassing and funny family vacation memories. One that really stands out, however, happened during our family trip to Disney World when I was about seven years old:  my little brother (maybe three at the time) accidentally pooped in the pool at our hotel. Of course, it wasn’t just any pool but instead a gigantic, snaking resort water park that meanders between all sorts of crazy slides and fake islands.  Needless to say, not too many people enjoyed the water that day.  But on the bright side, the hotel really took its sanitation policy seriously.” – Jessye Aibel, Associate, Social Media & Online PR

And here are some of our favorite vacation spots & best vacation memories:

“I love traveling to the Caribbean for short vacations.  It’s typically not too expensive, is easy to get to from DC, and, although I’m someone who seems to be going full-throttle all the time, the Caribbean is good for my necessary downtime.  Funny part about the beach is that I don’t really like salt water getting in my mouth so I only like swimming in the pool.  I blame my parents for making me gargle salt water when I had tonsillitis as a kid… I also have an unnatural fear of being eaten by a shark.  I like the tropical drinks though, so that balances out the shark fear.” – Alexandra Gibson, President/ CEO

“My favorite vacation was my family’s summer trip in 2004.  My mom’s side of the family is Cuban and everyone (aunts, uncles, cousins) went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a big family vacation.  We stayed at a beautiful resort, enjoying the sandy beaches, perfect water, great pools, and fun cocktails.  Even though I was too young to legally drink in the US, I was old enough to have a few margaritas in Mexico!  We also enjoyed a lot of perks because some of my family could speak fluent Spanish with the resort employees.” – Amanda Butterworth, Senior Director, Creative Services

“My family used to travel once a year to the house my grandfather built in Jamaica. We have an old family video of me dancing with my dad to Bob Marley when I was about three years old, and albums and albums of funny pictures.  Some of my best childhood memories were in that house, and I’ve missed it since the day it was sold!” – Jessye Aibel, Associate, Social Media & Online PR

Me (Jessye) and my little brother Mike in Jamaica

“My favorite vacation was my honeymoon 14 years ago.  My husband, Brent and I, decided to do something a bit off the beaten path.  We rode his motorcycle from Denver (our home) to California, along the PCH and then back!  3400 miles, 11 days, sights and sounds of the beautiful Western U.S., a trip never to be forgotten.” – Martha Kirkpatrick, Director, Member Services

“My favorite vacation was our family trip to Bermuda. I was only 8 but still have a vivid memory of the beautiful beaches of horseshoe bay, and falling asleep to the sound of horse hoofs from the horse drawn carriages carting visitors down the cobblestone streets.” – Lolly Rush, Project Manager

Alexandra and Amanda have just arrived in New York City to enjoy a few days of meetings, great events, and of course– fun. (Would you expect anything less?)
Kicking off today is House Beautiful’s “Kitchen of the Year“ in Rockefeller Plaza– an event full of cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, tastings, kitchen design tips, and a fully rendered “Kitchen of the Year” designed by Jeff Lewis. After the daytime activities conclude, Alexandra and Amanda will attend House Beautiful’s “Kitchen of the Year” opening night gala! For more details, watch the video below– and be sure to check Twitter for updates and photos by Alexandra and Amanda.

They will also be meeting with ultra-talented GDM member Ondine Karady at the event, whose 50’s movie- inspired kitchen, “Bumblebee by the Beach,” which was designed for House Beautiful’s “Uncompromising Design“ video series can be seen below.  Alexandra and Amanda have just updated that Ondine’s video has been playing on the big screen in Rockefeller Plaza throughout today’s event– congratulations!  Tomorrow, Ondine’s kitchen design will continue its reign in the spotlight at cooking demos and more sponsored by Jenn-Air.

Credit: Ondine Karady for House Beautiful

Tomorrow, Alexandra and Amanda will attend the Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius Conference hosted by Gaspedal for some educational nourishment.  The event will feature how-to crash courses in Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing, brilliant speakers, and real-world case studies.

If you happen to be in New York, head over to Rockefeller Plaza to partake in some of these exciting events. Even if you’re not a design enthusiast, there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy!

Again, stay updated on Twitter and follow Alexandra and Amanda as they journey through New York! More to follow…

Selecting the oh-so-classic Manhattan as July’s martini recipe was an easy choice– especially with Alexandra and Amanda traveling to New York City this weekend to attend some great events (more details to follow!).  With its sophisticated status, frequent cameos in AMC series Mad Men, and overall tough urban appeal, the Manhattan is a standby cocktail, even if you’re not in a New York State of Mind.

Ingredients:

• 6 Parts Rye Whiskey
• 2 Parts Sweet Vermouth
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Preparation:

1. Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters in an icy cocktail shaker
2. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass
3. Garnish with a maraschino cherry
4. Enjoy!

For comprehensive directions and tips from a cocktail master, watch the video below:

It’s no surprise that the dirty martini, a symbol of refined revelry and exceptional taste, is also Gibson Design Management’s chosen symbol for a reward of member excellence. Each month, the Dirty Martini award is presented to one of our members, honoring the innovative, devoted and impressive achievements of the people we are so fortunate to work with.  What better way is there to applaud a job well done than by unwinding with a cocktail?

This month, we’d like to congratulate Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design for her recent media recognition, which praised her skilled design sense and innovative approach when it comes to transforming an interior.  Although Lane’s work has been featured in many publications, last month’s Denver Life Magazine highlighted an LEO Interior Design project in a lengthy spread (“Tidy Transformation”)– describing Lane’s ability to “add life” to an outdated home interior by combining traditional elements with light colors, bold patterns and some impressive faux finishes.  (To read the full article and see pictures of the final interior, visit the LEO Interior Design website and download a PDF version.)

After a job well done, we think Lane deserves to put her feet up and enjoy a refreshing martini.  Congratulations again to Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design–cheers!

You might have heard mentions of our sibling company, OttoPilot Media, through the Twitter grapevine, but perhaps you’re wondering what OttoPilot Media is all about.  Make sure your tray tables are in the upright position– here’s the rundown:

In short, OttoPilot Media helps fly your business to a higher level through non-traditional marketing… but that’s more than just a catchy tag-line.  We work with companies to determine which social media platforms will be best for what they want to achieve.  Once that’s defined, we enhance and customize the necessary tools (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare, and more) so each social media platform accurately reflects the brand or business.  We want our clients to look like the experienced pilots they are.

Plus, we take care of the hard part: effectively managing these platforms.  Signing up, refueling and applying a fresh coat of paint to these social media accounts isn’t enough– so we generate content, schedule posts and tweets, and make sure you’re always up-to-date, knowledgeable, and engaged with your online communities. You won’t have to worry about a thing– it’s like sitting in first class all the time!

Now, we all know that if a pilot got distracted while flying, the results wouldn’t be too favorable.  To avoid this, we stay focused and alert while your company runs on its familiar schedule (we know that can be a big distraction)– in order to deliver the best in-flight service and turbulence-free ride for you and your clients.

Moreover, we are specialists when it comes to helping our clients develop ideas and get people talking about their brand (and saying good things, of course).  We work with companies to define a manageable flight plan, and then implement our revolutionary tools  (i.e non-traditional marketing) to ensure our clients are visible across online platforms, and consistently sharing their unique brand with others.

Are the skies a little clearer now?  We hope you’ll get in touch to learn more about how OttoPilot Media can help your business fly to new heights!

Find us here:  and here:  

Practical, judicious and well-dressed, Scarlett O’Hara embodies more than just the charm of a Southern belle.  Her character gives us plenty of business-savvy lessons to work with– applicable to any time period, and regardless of proximity to the Mason-Dixon Line.

Here are four lessons to be learned from Scarlett:

1. Be resilient. Scarlett did not have an easy go of it after the Civil War.  She was forced to work the fields and manage the house after the death of her mother and the onset insanity of her father.  Furthermore, she had not a penny to her name and was deeply indebted to the tax collectors.  However, she pushed through.  We’ve all lived through the last 2 years of a terrible economic storm.  Even without poor market conditions, businesses will go through very tough times.  Resiliency, and will power, can often be the only thing to push us through the difficulty when it seems like everything is going to mud.  Sometimes it is about putting one foot in front of the other when things are really dismal.
2. Dress the part. When Scarlett goes to Atlanta to visit Rhett Butler in jail and ask for money to pay the taxes on Tara, she dresses the part despite being destitute (and wears the velvet drapes that Mammy fashioned into a gown).  As Thomas Fuller said “Good clothes open all doors.”  When you want something from someone—a sale, an investment, etc.—you need to look and act like you will survive without it.  Dress the part, inside and out.
3. Think about it tomorrow. Some days are overwhelming.  If you think about eating the whole elephant in one sitting, you will be sick thinking about the enormity of your task.  Not everything has to be done today.  Don’t bury your head in the sand but give yourself a break and realize that you are one person with the same 24 hours that everyone else has.  As Scarlett says, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”  Some days you should do just that.
4. Don’t be foolish chasing after something that is not meant to be. Occasionally, we all really believe that a certain product or service is what is going to be our savior for our company.  We continue investing money and time, putting other lucrative services and products on the back burner.  Be honest with yourself about what areas of your business are really producing revenue.  Focus a majority of your efforts there.  Don’t spend your business life chasing after Ashley when Rhett is really the best fit.

“Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.”

-George Washington

The 4th of July not only marks an important date in history– America’s birthday–  but it’s also the perfect occasion for spending time outside and enjoying good food, beverages and company.  This 4th of July, the Gibson Design Management team will be celebrating another birthday, too: the newest member of our company wolfpack, OttoPilot Media, which helps to propel businesses using social media and non-traditional marketing.

In honor of Independence Day, the GDM team has compiled some of our favorite festive recipes:

Patriotic Fruit Pizza (from Lolly)

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Press dough flat into an ungreased cookie sheet or pyrex. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust. Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill.

Panzanella (from Alexandra)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained

(for the rest of the recipe and directions, check it out on the Food Network website!)

Martha’s Fresh Guacamole (we hear it’s pretty famous!)

Ingredients:

(Makes 4 cups)

• 4 ripe avocados
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tomato, peeled & chopped
• 1 fresh, mild green chile, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• coarse sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• garlic salt to taste

Directions:

Peel, seed and lightly mash avocados, so that they are still chunky. Add lemon juice, tomato, green chile, onions, and season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic salt.  Fold together gently.  In order to prevent the guac from turning dark, place the avocado pits on top (to be removed upon serving), cover and refrigerate no more than 4 hours.  It’s best when it is freshly made!

We hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend!

Tomorrow is National Martini Day, but today is National Splurge Day (or National $plurge Day).  It’s probably fitting that a drinking holiday comes the day after a huge spending holiday.  You will likely need a drink after the fortune that you spend, or at least think about spending, on a great day of stimulating consumption.

I asked a few of our team members what they would splurge on today.

Martha's splurge- a vacation ending in Savannah, Georgia

“A 2 week vacation along the East Coast – New York to Savannah, Georgia, visiting museums, historical sites, etc.”  – Martha Kirkpatrick, Director, Member Services

“Haha I will try to think of something other than the iPad… although let’s be honest!” – Amanda Butterworth, Senior Director, Creative Services

“I would upgrade the rest of my flights in 2010 to First Class.  I might also buy some new Ferragamo shoes so I’m flying in style.”  – Yours truly (Alexandra)

“Prada shoes.” – Andrea Gibson, Advisor

Amanda's splurge- An Apple iPad. Photo: wired.com

On this spending day, I also started thinking about what I would really want to splurge on for Gibson Design Management or any of our other companies.  (more…)