Studio Assistants

This is Jin-Jin.  Though she has only been on staff for a few months, she has become an honored member of Nanetta.com.  Jin-Jin is mostly chihuahua, but seems to have a bit of ferret, fox and monkey in her personality.  The chair pictured is immediately to my left.

Jin-Jin is in charge of quality control.  She will express herself by chewing an item to oblivion.  I will find her with a beaded pin shredded, tiny beads like sand on my futon.  Unfortunately, she doesn't know what quality means.  She thinks it is a flavor.  I must find her a new position.

Banjo, after a protracted hiatus of hating me, is now back in the studio.  Nothing like the thought of a younger replacement to make one act a little nicer.  Banjo, a papillon, is my public relations guy.  At a party, he is as much a social butterfly as his wispy ears indicate.  He will even wear a hat.  He has two.  You can imagine the marketing nightmare when your representative swears at you in dog in front of people, then shamelessly promotes his own agenda; attention for himself.  Glad to have you back, Banjo!  

My "staff" and I hope to get back to sharing the studio life.  Uh-oh!  I hear crunching....

Nanetta: Haunted Hats

Nanetta: Haunted Hats: These sweet-creepy hats have been a joy to create. Made of Strathmore Art Again black paper, they are tediously decorated with spiderweb ...

Haunted Hats

These sweet-creepy hats have been a joy to create. Made of Strathmore Art Again black paper, they are tediously decorated with spiderweb sequins, vintage thrift shop tulle, pipe cleaner, tiny poms, jewels, ribbons and cord. The feathers, flowers, spiders and bats are all paper, detailed with iridescent paints, (Jo Sonja). Enjoying my work means slowing down, having fun and accepting a challenge. Cone-shaped hat, I tamed thee.

The cone is tricky, especially with the stiff paper these hats require. I use a paintbrush handle and a bone folder to break the grain of the black card stock. It takes a few repetitions to curl into a cone shape. The cone has to be held in place while the glue sets. Though the paper is conditioned, it takes patience to keep everything in line. After five hats, I use a tiny clothespin to secure the base of the cone. This helps a lot.

I am proud of that big spider on this finished hat. Mag is a 1/3 scale doll and it fits her as a dramatic over-sized hat. She wears it well. Look closely and you can see her eyes are a little unsettling. This hat was designed to be a "fascinator" for a real person. It has two loops on the inside to attach barrettes or hairpins. A fascinator is a miniature hat or embellishment that does not cover the entire head.

Aaaaahhhhh! Infestation! I love these spiders, but they scare the heck out of me when they venture off on their own. And they do. Those little legs stick on my clothes and end up in the strangest of places. I said I would keep track this time - but the spiders think otherwise.

Nanetta: Flower Clips

Nanetta: Flower Clips: "Flower blanks, fresh from cutting with my KNK Digital cutting system, are designed on my computer screen, then sent to the cutter for precis..."

Flower Clips

Flower blanks, fresh from cutting with my KNK Digital cutting system, are designed on my computer screen, then sent to the cutter for precision cutting. Notice the different sizes of the same design. This creates a larger variety of the pieces. I can mix up motifs. I cut many, many pieces before I begin the coloring process. There is something satisfying about a whole stack of blanks.

Color brings the petals and leaves to life. This shot shows some experimentation with metallics, particularly the large fern. The colorant is alcohol ink, applied with a dropper, then finished with a brush to make sure the edges are covered. In the far right is a floral element with a little more detail. These dashed lines are cut into the surface in a "pounce" line. Ink settles in, adding detail. Unlike my cherry blossoms, these florals are fantastical. Once my stack is finished, they assemble by what is in front of me in a kind of ordered chaos. I love the little buds you see poking out here and there. Each flower is finished with a clip. Originally designed for hair ornaments, they are being clipped onto clothing, headbands and hats.

Flower Clips

Flower blanks, fresh from cutting with my KNK Digital cutting system, these floral pieces are designed on my computer screen, then sent to the cutter for precision cutting. Notice the different sizes of the same design. This creates a larger variety of the pieces. I can mix up motifs. I cut many, many pieces before I begin the coloring process. There is something satisfying about a whole stack of blanks.

Color brings the petals and leaves to life. This shot shows some experimentation with metallics, particularly the large fern. The colorant is alcohol ink, applied with a dropper, then finished with a brush to make sure the edges are covered. In the far right is a floral element with a little more detail. These dashed lines are cut into the surface in a "pounce" line. Ink settles in, adding detail. Unlike my cherry blossoms, these florals are fantastical. Once my stack is finished, they assemble by what is in front of me in a kind of ordered chaos. I love the little buds you see poking out here and there. Each flower is finished with a clip. Originally designed for hair ornaments, they are being clipped onto clothing, headbands and hats.

Nanetta: Blue Fairy and Friends

Nanetta: Blue Fairy and Friends: "A fairy blowing a kiss is my newest fanciful being. She is painted with alcohol inks applied with a dropper and finished with a brush. The..."