Well, I am told the bass is just about done.  I am currently awaiting word about cost/design for the custom inlay.

Here's the line art for the bumblebee:  

  And here I've superimposed it on the embroidered patch so you can see where the lines came from:  

  Let me know if this has got the look you were after as far as extracting the lines from the threads, and I'll make a mock up with materials.

The bee is in place now:

 
It's still got glue and gunk all over it, but you can still how cute it looks! The Tahitian black mother of pearl has such excellent color. The gold has nice gold color and there is some good figure in the whote mother of pearl wings.  
 
The bass was back in finish today, so it won't be much longer until you have this bass at home to enjoy.

Hi Mica-
 
I can see a little of the figuring, but as usual, I suspect the picture doesn't do it justice.  The balck and white MOPs both look really happening.
 
Sending you an email as well.

Wow, I love that bee Bob (not to mention the rest of the instrument!).  Is that on the front or the back?
 
Mark

Thanks, Mark!  It's on the back of the headstock.  We had talked about putting it somewhere on the body, but I really didn't like any of the possibilities there.  
 
Here's the original inspiration picture, an embroidered patch that was glued on my first bass:
 

 
Mica gets the majority of the credit for how it evolved to the final form.
 
-bob