I've got a friend who has a wonderful antique french fiddle; on the back is inlaid a little village scene, and around the perimeter a latin motto meaning "In life was silence, in death is music"

Inspired by that one, the last fiddle I finished (the one I'm currently playing; it's the best one I've ever done, and has a great sound)I did a bit of decorating myself prior to varnishing. As I play hardly anything but trad Irish tunes, I did a trinity knot (one of those Celtic interlaced knotwork thingies) in the center of the back, and round the perimter an Irish gaelic motto meaning "Let my voice lift the floor" (a step-dancer's saying, that). It turned out beautifully, if I do say so meself.

I'm almost to the point with another fiddle where I can start thinking of a decorative motif for it, too, but I don't want to use the same one twice.

JtT