I'll update this thread with pictures of my progress. With all the great advice in it already, it might be a good resource for someone wanting to try a bargello for the first time
I think I'll start cutting tonight. I waited until hubby got home last night to okay the fabrics (he didn't like the one with the leaves, either), and he seems happy. He was surprisingly picky about this one! Guess it's because it's for our bed. I'm going to try the reversing direction thing for putting the strips together. On my last bargello, I lost a chunk of each strip set because of the curving at the bottom.
I'm so excited!