Rita's encrusted RR block

We picked up the package at the post office on the way to Costco to get our groceries. I could hardly wait to get home and study the blocks.. Having made my choice the first thing I always do is put in a stitching guideline to keep me from getting too close to the edge. I mark and baste from the back of the block so there are no marks on the front. Since I am adding the word "Spring" to the block I also mark and baste the guidelines for the letters on the back (upper right). I need guidelines for everything.

When the block is turned over you can see the outside guideline and hopefully (I should have used a darker thread) the guidelines I put in to keep all the letters the same height. When the lettering is done I can pull the threads. I find I'm much happier with my lettering by doing this prep step...

Finally Rita said she wanted birds, bugs or bunnies on her block... "BUNNY!!!" I say..... You all know how I love to do bunnies...so I have one on sketched felt... This is my favorite bunny pose and I've used it on a couple other blocks... This time it is larger though as it will be the focal point of the block. I'm doing the bunny on felt exactly like I do the birds and when I applique him on I'll plump up his "bunny butt" a bit...

By then it was bedtime even though I could have stayed up half the night stitching... Since I'm getting a late start on this block it has jumped to the head of my "to stitch" list... Our weather has been so unusually warm and I have been working outside transplanting like crazy...so a spring block really fits my mood... Last two years we had late springs because of heavy snows. Plus last year my broken leg was still in a cast and the spring before I had surgery on my knee after Andy knock me "head over heels" so there is a lot of catching up to do...