Vamos Rafa!

Yes, he didn't win last night. I know, I was there at the O2. To be honest, when Omar got us tickets to the final a month or so ago I did not expect at all to see Rafa in the final. Nadal had never made the final at ATV World Tour Finals, as it is a indoor hard court, the worst surface for him. So I was not expecting him to win at all.


Federer was almost always the better player throughout out the match, so many effortless shots, you could see Nadal exhausted from Saturday's semifinal against Murray. At least Rafa manage to win the second set, which all in all was a good result for him. And although I am a bit sad that he didn't win, the truth is that for a tennis fan like myself to be able to have witness on court a Nadal-Federer match on a final is something that is truly unforgettable. Not many sports have such a good role models like this two guys, I am glad I am a tennis fan.


Watching him loose yesterday is even more inspiring to me than when he wins. I often have said that what I most admire in Rafa is not his formidable tennis -which I also do admire- but his amazing attitude, in victory or in defeat. We often celebrate excellency and natural talent, and forget that the effort to overcome our own flaws should be even more appreciated. The desire to improve, to do things better and to not let small or big failures in the way of becoming a better player and person is something that we should all practice. 


So, thank you Rafa.


Vamos Rafa!

An evening to remember

Anyone who knows me, even a little bit, will know my admiration for Rafael Nadal. I have followed his matches since he was part of the Cup davis final in 2004. Well, truth is I have never seen him in person in real life.
But yesterday, Omar got tickets to go and see him play at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2. When I got there Omar greeted me with a "I am sorry, there has been a mistake and we don't have tickets!" To say that I was upset is an understatement, so I decided to walk towards the Fan area thinking there must be pictures and stuff like that. What I did not expect was the practice courts to be in plain sight for anyone to see. When I saw a multitude on one of the courts, I asked who was practicing and they said Rafa. I thought to myself, well If Rafa is about 10 metres from me there is simply no way that I am not going to see him from the first line. So, since I am very short I navigated to front row. There were about 5 meters between Rafa and myself. 

I understood there and then how people feel about certain singers or bands, when they faint just at the sight of them. Rafa oozes charisma in an earthy kind of way. His uncle Toni (his coach) was there as was the rest of the team as well as Spain Davis Cup team captain Albert Costa.
At that point, I could not have care less about getting the tickets to see the match. I Had seen my beloved Rafa quite close and hitting some balls, what else could top that? But Omar and his friends manage to get some at the last minute and, after a lovely dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, we got to watch the match between Rafa and Roddick from almost the rooftop. The match is played on a indoor hard court which is famously the most difficult type for Rafa, last year he didn't manage to even win a set in three matches, so my expectations were low.

The first set didn't go too well for Rafa, neither did the first few games of the second. But soon enough Rafa picked up and went on to win the second and third set and of course the match. 

I shout quite a lot of Vamos Rafa! among other things, clapped a lot and got off my feet in several occassions.

It was, by all accounts, a fantastic evening.


Vamos Rafa!

The Joy of Rafa

First of all,

How great was Rafa?


I mean, by winning the US Open he is completed the career Grand Slam, something only seven tennis players have ever done. Plus he is got the Gold medal at the Olympics, 18 Masters Series and three Davis Cups. Not bad. At all. 

If you can, listen what he said after winning. Very inspiring to dedicate most of his speech to congratulate his opponent on hi good attitude after defeat. Novak was a true sportsman and so was Rafa. This is the type of behavior that every sportsman should show -at least in public. And yes, I stayed up until the match ended which was late even for my standards.


I realize that I am a repetitive person, I talk about the same things over and over, not only talking about Rafa's successes, but mostly I complain about the same things. Well, today I need to again mention that this last two weeks have been some of the busiest of the year. 
Yesterday I was so tired that I got up really late, even for my late morning standards. But I felt so much better and ready to tidy and do bits and pieces around the house that needed doing. Bits and bobs. The thing about them is that the eat your time and, before you know it, it is time to go to sleep and all those things that I needed to do regarding the blog and photos, well, they remain undone. 
However I managed to update certain pages of my main site which include a Circle Punch chart and a Square one -on the Tutorials and Video page- which tells what punch goes with which circle size and who manufactures that particular size punch. This charts have taken me a long time to make, I did them about three weeks ago but I couldn't put them up until I had tried the new stamps. I have check the charts several times for any mistakes but you know I am only human and do mistakes, so if anything is incorrect please forgive me and, if you are really nice and have got the time, let me know by email.

So, I hope that you still are there. And that you are understanding and patient. And Joyous.
And enjoy Rafa's victory and/or, at least enjoy this little card I made on the weekend while demonstrating.

Yes, Rafa you bring so much Joy.

Muchas Gracias por tu ejemplo y actitud,

Vamos Rafa!

Rafa

Little else to say, but Rafa has done it again, Wimbledon for the second time. And that also means that he is won the French and Wimbledon back to back twice, and that he has got now 8 Grand Slams. After the difficult time last year, he is come back big time. He really is an inspiration.

Vamos Rafa!

On the edge

The earlier post has not much of an explanation. Well, I pressed
publish before hand! Anyway, the edges were cut with on the edge
sizzix Tim holtz dies. They are so versatile!
The real on the edge event this weekend was for me the final of Roland
garros. My Rafa, as in Rafael Nadal, won so not only he wins it back
for a fifth time but he is again from today the number 1 in the world.
After such a troubled year behind him, it was lovely to see him win,
specially moving when he went on and cried on his chair. He is such an
inspiration to me, as he is to so many people.
Vamos Rafa!

Congratulations Roger!

Don't worry, I do not change affections that easily. I still love Nadal a thousand times or more than I like Federer, but you have got to admit it that Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player ever. Like many other Nadal's fans and probably even Rafa himself, I have always known that Federer is a far better player, even Nadal's coach and uncle thinks so! But that is precisly why I like Rafa. Even though he has been so unlucky to coincide in time with the greates of all time, he still has battled it out to be nº1 during Federer's time and won playing against him in Grand Slams finals in every surface.

People usually find supreme excellence inspiring. Don't take me wrong, I do too, however I find more inspiring when achivements don't come so effortlessly. Most people are never the best at something, not everyone is born being excellent at something. And to only admire people who are so obviously superior sometimes is depressing. I should know, as I had some difficulty to assimilate that growing up. I wanted so badly to be the best at something, that I didn't realize that the most important thing is not to be the best at something, but be the best you can ever be. Sure, provably there will be better people still around, but who cares when you can say: I try my best, little by little, others may do it better, but I do the best I can!

That is what I adore in Rafa, he may never match Federer's amazing effortless-looking tennis, but that hasn't stop him, he just keeps pursuing to be the best player he can ever be. I just hope that Rafa will keep inspiring us with his game and more importantly attitude.

Anyway, well done Federer! and also Roddick who kept fighting till the end!

And of course,

VAMOS RAFA!

Hever Castle

Still hurting a bit about yesterday's defeat, but I am so glad it happened. I know it's weird, but after reading what Rafa said in his after the game, I even admire him more!!!!
And, I guess now I know how not to care too much about sports!

Anyway, no card or scrapbooking layout today to share, but this photo of Hever Castle in Kent that I took in May when we visited it with Omar's brother and fiance. By the way, it was just outside the castle that I took the engagement photos that were feautered in the Slice mini album (also shown on QVC). Hever Castle is where Anne Boleyn grew up and as beautiful as might have been then, it was made even lovelier in the early twentieth century by the Astor family who added incredibly amazing Italian Gardens. So if you ever are in the area, go there.

Beyond the success

I often have post in the past to write in admiration of my favorite sportsperson in the whole wide world, Rafa Nadal. Today, its is a bit different, he was defeated for the first time at the French Open, the same Grand Slam that he has won four years in a row.
However, the reason why I am so fond of him is not because he is extraordinary at playing tennis -my favorite sport- nor because he is from Mallorca -where I grew up-, it is undoubtedly because of his attitude in victory and more importantly in defeat.. The respect and admiration that he professes to his arch rival Federer is truly exemplary. To illustrate this point is the fact that he said that he hopes Federer wins this years French Open.
Whether this is the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning of Nadal, nobody knows. But for me the true lesson of this guy is his attitude which is beyond the success he has had in the past or may have in the future.
Vamos Rafa!

What can I say?

Rafa won the Australian Open!