I've started with the "frame" before too. I found an amazing children's animal print border fabric by J Wecker Frishe. It reminded me of the "Wind in the Willows" animals. I knew I wanted that to be a mitered frame around something. What I finally came up with was selecting several small prints with some of the colors from the Frishe border, and made a center of disappearing 4 patches. Turned out great and the center did not overwhelm the cool animal border.