Modify Tradition Quilt Blocks

I'm having fun trying new quilt blocks with the Modify Traditions quilt-along, and with this collection of fabrics! Some months ago, a co-worker told about her small closets in her small house, and how she'd tried to convince her husband to give up his accumulation of Hawaiian shirts from the days when he wore them to work at Trader Joe's. I suggested that if he decided to let them go, I'd be happy to have them to use as quilt material. A couple weeks after our conversation, she came home from work and found hubby stuffing three grocery bags full of shirts to take to the Goodwill! Hooray for Kara and her new access to closet space, and thank you! Hooray for me, since I cut them up and started immediately playing with them!

First I made this quilt top, which is hideously, frenetically busy!

I was going for a "Bento Box" design, but there's not enough contrast between the fabrics. It's my first UFO (unfinished object).

I also made some cute pillow covers for Kara and her husband to thank them for the bounty, but I forgot to take pictures. Oh well.

Then, I was looking for fabric at the thrift store, and found five yards (that's five yards!) of high quality, even-weave, natural color linen! For $3.95!! For all of it!!

When I brought it home I washed it, and it's in perfect condition. I burned some to see if, surely, it had some synthetic something in it, and got soft, black ash and the smell of burning paper. According to this, it's mercerized linen. I think it's beautiful!

Now I'm putting the Hawaiian prints and the linen together in traditional style blocks, and I love what I'm getting. I'm playing around with different ideas to put them together; linen or contrasting sashing between blocks, or without sashing altogether. Any suggestions?

Doesn't it look like sand and sea and beach glass?