The first gives you 2 pattern designs that stand out to me The star and the hexagon
The second , in this picture, looks more like the cubes are floating that is what my eyes sees first. You don't say what color you are going to do the stars.
I have an idea.. Do one of each !!! LOL

I like version 1 - I think it is easier to see the stars.

#2. I don't care for the dark "circles" on version #1. Like the layout on Version #2 and how the diamonds lay at an angle in places.

I've always been fond of the 6 pointed stars. My vote is for the first one. Mainly I'd vote for this in case your scraps don't contrast enough. That could cause a very spotty look that I don't care for.

I have a collection of blue scraps which I have sorted into lights, mediums and darks which I will use for the cubes, the will all have one face of a light blue and of a medium and one dark. The stars will all be white, I have bits and pieces of white on white and plain white that are not really big enough to do anything else with, I have cut most of the pieces already now to mark them all for hand piecing(my least favourite job :rolleyes:) I will be taking this project with me on my holiday down to the coast. I'd love to take my machine but we struggle for room to take everything down and most of our food for a 2 week stay, so hand piecing it will be ;)

I like both, although I am enough of a traditionalist that I would probably do the scrappy units as baby blocks, with light on the top and the medium and dark each on a consistant side. There are things to be said for both, but I think the scrappy one looks like more fun.

I like both, but the cubes seem more interesting in the second as they seem to tumble more randomly. I don't know if that makes sense. Good luck with your project. I have found the tumbling cubes a very interesting quilt and I love the interplay with the stars...