looking for example build structure for linux embedded system

[Robert P. J. Day]

i'm pretty sure i asked about this long ago but i managed to misplace
the response(s).  i'm interested if anyone has a sample make-based
build structure for building an entire linux-based embedded system.

that system would involve configuring, compiling and combining various
standard bits of an embedded system like the kernel, busybox, some
simple networking, etc., into a flashable zImage + root filesystem.

i have a structure i'm using now but i'm not ecstatic with it and i'm 
thinking of redesigning it to be non-recursive.  in any event, i'd be
interested in seeing how others are doing this.

(i'm also poking around the openembedded build system, but that's 
a *major* step away from what i've got now and i'd prefer to make
a smaller step at the moment.)

thanks for any pointers.

rday