Congratulations! I am assuming you are getting an Innova. I have a 26" on a 10' frame and LOVE IT!!!
I am a total newb and have only quilted 4 quilts so far on it. I do not have a stash of tops ready to go.
In preparation for my machine I doodled a lot. Some people recommend an erasable white board, I just use a big pad of paper and pencil. I decide on motifs I want to be able to free hand like feathers or pebbles or flowers, whatever and then draw them on paper until I can draw them without even thinking about it. Translates well to the LA for me.
Also I did not want to get caught in the trap of being able to do nothing but meander so I have purposely avoided it. I have yet to do a meander on a quilt. I did do an overall abstract design that was kind of a cross between flames and tribal tattoos, that is the closest I have come.
Do NOT be afraid of your machine. You just spent a big wad of money on it. Get on it and have fun. I did one practice sandwich then loaded my first quilt. I doodled, tried feathers, drawing animals, a panto, pebbles and stencils on that practice piece and quilted every available inch of it.
Here is a link to my practice piece photos:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-54832-1.htm
I had that practice piece on the machine for about 3 weeks.
Here is a link to my very first quilt off the Innova:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-77776-1.htm
This was the only top I had laying around.
Now I have quilted for two other people one other top I have made for my DMIL, have another quilt from one of my friends on the rack now and am trying to get another top pieced for it. I like complex patterns for piecing so I can't whip out tops as quickly as many here.