Since I mentioned earlier today that I am putting together digital scrapbook pages in order to order calendars for my parents, I wanted to also give everyone the link I am using to order the calendars, since the calendars are free. Yep, free. What could be better than a free photo calendar? I’m doing the photos for the wall calendars, since you can use one picture for each month – plus a cover, which I forgot that I still need to design!

So, here is my link for the free photo calendar. I am ordering one tonight and my sister is order another. They should round out our gift lists quite well.

Here is one page. It would be a lot of trouble to post all 12 months, plus it might just annoy all of you anyway?

Because this blog is The Suncoast Scribe, I try to write as often as possible about news stories that are of national interest, but Florida-centric. I’ve also given you some great Obscure Florida travel guides and tips about visiting other locations in the state. I plan on doing this more often so that all of you who love to come to Florida to play (and there are a LOT of you) might be able to benefit from the recommendations of someone who actually lives here all year.

The Big Guava
And, since I am actually living right here in the Tampa Bay area, I thought it was high time I shined the proverbial spotlight on some of the attractions around The Big Guava – a term coined in the 1970’s by Tampa columnist Steve Otto and based on the pioneer Gavino Gutierrez’s ascertain that this area was perfect for cultivating guava commercially.

What Not to Miss
Most tourists are aware of Busch Gardens and all of the spring training events for teams like the Yankees and the Phillies, but if you have the time to explore the area I would suggest taking advantage of least one lunch or dinner cruise. We have access to not only the lovely Tampa Bay, but the Gulf of Mexico as well. And, for a perfect series of family-friendly outings, you should plan on penciling in time for the Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Lowry Park Zoo. You should absolutely make sure you have at least one day set aside to enjoy one of our many white sugar sand beaches, some of the best in the world.

Buy Discount Tickets
I know that if you were to just do the tings I mention in this article, you will be out a pretty penny in ticket prices alone. That’s why you need to plan ahead and buy your tickets at discounted rates. Trusted Tours and Attractions offers discounted tickets to most of the popular area attractions. Plus, if you sign up for their Trusted Travel eNewsletter, you will be entered into a drawing to win an iPod Nano. That would be a sweet toy to bring along on your vacation here in Tampa.

The Weather is Lovely
For all of you out there in ice storms right now, think about taking a break to come share some of our sunshine and southern hospitality. Citrus starts coming into season now and hurricane season is over. Things here in the Tampa Bay are absolutely perfect.

I never was much of a scrapbooker, mostly because I hated to see so much wasted space on a page in my photo album. So, I usually just put the pictures on the pages and added some pretty embellishments. I think I got through my daughter’s 7th month before I stopped. Things just got too hectic – and they have yet to calm down.

My sister suggested that we have calendars made for our parents with the kids’ pictures on the different months, but I thought straight pictures would be too ordinary. So, I started playing around in Photoshop, because I really am very good with Photoshop. ? Somehow I came across some digital scrapbooking freebies and I realized I was wasting my time doing my won graphics when there are thousands of high resolution, print quality frames and templates and embellishments out on the web for free.

So, I have been feverishly collecting things I like from various sites. I will eventually burn a disk for my own future use. It occurred to me that it might be nice to share with my readers one or two cool freebies I have found each week? Would you like that?

Here is my first. It’s Gina Maria’s Gingerbread Alphabet. Click the image for a link to her blog.

First of all, let me just say that Florida is absolutely perfect this time of year. Today it will be right around 84 degrees and the skies are clear as can be. There is not a drop of ice or snow to be heard of here, and you can even go bare footed if you so desire. Yes, Florida is the place to be right now, especially with all you out in the Midwest iced over and enduring the miserable cold.

If that is not enough of an incentive, most of the hotels and Bed & Breakfasts in Amelia Island are offering a deal where if you book two nights, you get a third night for free. Can you even think of a way to top that? This Lodging Special is available through February 29th, 2008 – so there is plenty of time to march right in and tell your boss you need a week off to warm your bones.

Amelia Island is amazing. I’ve been there and I can attest that in a state filled to the brim with incredible beaches and little corners of paradise, Amelia Island is one of the best we have to offer. You can fish, boat, walk along the white sugar sand beaches, hunt for shells, or just grab a mindless book and lay in the sun. The island is tiny, but the list of things to do and see is nearly endless. Believe me when I say this is where native Floridians go for honeymoons and romantic getaways. It’s indeed that stunning.