WOW! That would be an exciting and lasting experience. What did you have made? Feel free to share, I do not mind. I have always wanted to re learn an instrument. I took lessons in elementary school, kicking myself for not sticking with one.
I had a dulcimer made of it. They started with rough cut lumber and sliced it thin as needed. These guys offer about 50 different sound holes -- everything from pine trees to bears to knots to grateful dead -- but their signature hole is cut like a flying hummingbird, so I went with that. When I get home I'll take some pictures and start a thread on it. I suspect more than a few people could find inspiration in it.