Another Project Finish, Stash Reduction and Use for an Orphan Block

Do you have test blocks or Orphan Blocks laying around? I have a few and they need a purpose.

In 2016, April to be clear, I posted about this block and the Block of the Month Project hosted by Pat Sloan. In my effort to clean up the unfinished projects and reduce the stash I found this.

I left that project due to illness, got too far behind, didn't feel like trying to catch up. 
 
A fussy block for sure. Not so keen about the colors either. I put all the fabric (pre-purchased just for this project, a mistake that I will not repeat ) and the two patterns of the series that I had printed off in one of my project boxes and stacked it in the "maybe some day" pile.

 In retrospect, this Secret Garden project may have been much more appealing in different fabrics, well at least to me. I am normally very particular about fabric appeal. I learned a lesson long ago about working on something with only mediocre affinity for the fabric, then meh....

Well, she did it again and lesson learned. NO more. To me, this is money wasted. 

B-U-T in my attempt to make the best of a less than positive experience I did this. One block finished, one pillow constructed. I still don't care for it but I don't think the birds on my back porch will mind. It is their secret garden that has to live with it. 

found a collection of pillow forms bought at Joann's with a coupon, this one almost fits, I need to work the corners out a bit.

found a zipper in the stash and used a scrap of fabric from the backing of another project.

• Another project that has languished for 2 years has an ending. Certainly not the ending I planned but good enough for me.
• The rest of the fabric, two storage boxes full of fabric......???? Not sure yet. Maybe in other projects. Not all together with some eliminated? Thoughts for another day.
• I am going to fill out those little corners with some shredding quilt batting left over from the last time....see...more of the "using up of the stuff!  👮  The Quilt Police are watching. 
• I am really, really trying to not buy anything else. I might need to add some blues and whites that I have been collecting for the last two years and some Morris prints but that's all I can think of right now.
• Until we meet again, enjoy your Summer. 
• Do you like color, innovative design, inspiration to raise the flag for?  Check out this blog Quilt Diva Julie's blog. Oh my, I have ideas all over the place with this one!