Fall Mug Rug - Getting Squirrely

After some thought, I broke down and bought some orange fabric for my fall/autumn themed mug rug swap.  I think it looks much better and also more modern.  This is going to take awhile since I have to do it by hand, but it'll be worth it!

I'm also working on a pillow with the leftover bits of honey bun from my Triple Irish Chain quilt.  I'm going to give this to my grandma along with the quilt for Christmas.  

Ugh...

Remember when I said I had to finish my Bliss quilt before I could work on anything else?  Francine, my persnickety Bernina, decided to foil my plans!  I was happily free motion quilting along and it was past my bedtime, so I put things away and turned off the machine.  The next morning, I go back to work, and it starts skipping 5 or 6 stitches in a row!  I hadn't fiddled with anything!  So I tried everything I could think of to make her work again with absolutely no luck.  So Francine is at the Bernina store 4. hours. away!!  I've been without her for over a week now :(  I really wish sewing machine repair shops were like car dealerships - when you take yours in for work they give you a loaner.  

I've cut a few projects out and now I'm trying to work on a fall/autumn themed mug rug for a swap with my new Modern Quilt Guild.  I love squirrels and wanted to applique one holding an acorn onto my mug rug.  My problem is, I'm not sure it's as adorable as I was hoping, nor do I think it looks very modern.  This is my current layout.  Would anyone in a modern quilt guild want this in a swap?  What suggestions do you have to make this better?  To me, fall/autumn reminds me of traditional harvest images, etc and I have a hard time incorporating modern elements.  Oh, and yes, it looks like I'm hand sewing this puppy.


Thanks for any suggestions!

I made myself a deal...

I have to finish quilting 1 quilt in the stack of finished tops before I can make any. more. quilt. tops. period!    I'm not sure if this is because I'm becoming burned out, unsatisfied that no one seems to want to pay for a quilt, or that I just have too many.  Anyway,  I've undertaken quilting my Bliss sampler quilt and won't start anything else until I complete that sucker!  So far I've finished the outer border.  I know this isn't the proper way to quilt, but I'm lacking inspiration for the center and sashing.  I want to try something besides stippling but am not quite sure what just yet.  Any suggestions?

Last night I finished my roller coaster quilt top.  I think it's so fun!  Looking back at the pattern's suggested way of organizing the blocks, I totally messed it up, but I don't think anyone will notice :)