Hi,

You might be interested in my project recently launched on Kickstarter,com (short URL http://kck.st/164ObLg ) . It uses a MACHXO2-1200 from Lattice, and includes USB programming logic, so no external programmer is required.

It's a relatively simple board, aimed at beginners, and will be supplied ready programmed with a I2C driven I/O expander. The associated web site will include tutorials to explain how to download and use the free Lattice design tools, as well as giving some simple design examples. By following these examples, the new FPGA user will be able to gain confidence and experience by modifying known working VHDL/Verilog code.