Personally I love my dear jane blocks. I pick them up, put them down, don't do them for a bit and start again. The software in my opinion is a must. You can print off patterns, and on the notecards for each block it suggests the best or easiest way to do the block ie: paperpiece in 3 pieces.
Colours - well I have seen them in everything. I have seen blues and whites, bright colours, civil war, 30's, batiks (although personally would not want to applique some of the batiks so judge that carefully - they are small applique pieces and some batiks are kind of crunchy with the needle and fray easily but have seen some lovely quilts with this. Some have used novelty but keep in mind some of these pieces are 1/2" long. Having said that you can use the novelty as the background.
The Dear Jane group online has a block of the week that you can do or not and a tow or triangle of the week. You write in and say which you have done and they post who did it each week. Keeps some motivated.
The other thing is you don't have to do all of it! you can make the blocks into a vest, a table runner, put it on point and use some of the blocks, alternate a block with it and use only some, skip the triangles - the sky's the limit.
I don't think you are nuts. The Dear Jane groups have a great time and yes you are forcing yourself out of the house. I have learnt so many skills doing these blocks and from all these people. My applique is so great now - reverse, needle turn, backbasting - I have practiced all these skills. Brag, brag, brag but who else but quilters would understand the whole point in doing 4 1/2" squares.
And if you don't like 4 1/2" squares the software lets you do it in any size you want - 12" or 6" or even 2" if you were crazy! You could fuse it if that was your thing.
Have a great time Kate. This is your own - anything goes!
Kelly