http://screencasters.heathenx.org/episode-104/ here heathenx uses a neat tool called "create tiled clones" I'm still playing with it, but it dawned on me that you have a tool that will
a)take an object
b)rotate it randomly
c)scale it randomly
d)adjust its color randomly and...
e)spit a bunch of these out...

When I first tired it for buildings in a village... I found the "unclump" button will shift them apart with enough clicks (or you can move them by hand...)

Has anyone else thought about this... or have some other ideas for me to use to see if I can make this make a good map... if I can get it to work I think I'll right a little tut.