i tried to match the tile better to BOTH adjacent tiles...
So now its less sweet-sad, but maybe more congruent to the pumkinheads.
Actually, I liked the first version best, but it stook out.

I think it's great. Keep as is.

i appreciate very much that you made sacrifices/changes to your own tile to make the quilt better. i agree with Dari that the face was cool the way it was before... but i believe you succeded in making your tile merge with the quilt better by making the changes you did.
i like the tile.

but you ask for more suggestions to help it merge even furthur. so, here is my suggestion. when i look at your checkout tile i see pattern. the same pattern possibly coming from above and from the right side. i think if the shape you brought from the top and curved to the right to connect the edges, were made to come straight down and conform with razghul's pattern, your tile might merge a little more. and leave the dot on the right side a dot instead of using it as a connect the dot thingy for the line from the top. on the faint squiggly line coming from the right i would put another small balloon, and then one or two small floating polka dot faces here or there to even out the composition.

anyway, yours blends well and looks good as is... i would only change it again if you are trying to merge further with the overall quilt ;o))

thank you for the analysis, tony. Interesting insight, I did't see the curve anymore, because it was one of the first things i did. I think you're right about the "pattern" having to keep vertically oriented. I'm not so sure about more "polka dot" faces, they would have to be small and maybe fainter, as not to crowd the area too much. Anyway, I'll leave it for the moment. I'm away for a week (trip to venice with my students), maybe I'll have the courage to alter it once again later...

off to Venice... wow! that sounds like fun... maybe we can see some pictures from your trip when you return?

takin' the digicam and maybe even time vor scetch-/scrapbook