Need some help with ideas for making hair for head and beard of a life size nutcracker.  The rest of the nutcracker will be fondant and very intricate.  I've thought of using wafer paper, but haven't worked with it so not sure if it's the correct medium?  I'd like something pretty realistic and hair like.  Buttercream with grasstip is not the look I'm searching for.  Would love to avoid making 60000 strands with a clay extruder.  Hopefully somebody has a great idea to help.  TIA

Do you have an extruder. You could make the hair with that. Now the beard?? There supposed to be wispy. But thats open to interpretation. You could just use gumpaste and shape. I would use coffee filter paper. Cut, shape, curl,  use white glue to set. Let dry. Then attach to Nutcracker's chin.

Hope this helps.

Wafer paper cut into tiny - string like - pieces is going to be nothing short of a PIA!  And most likely you would break off most of them when placing plus it doesn't curl well. 

Cotton candy?? Without the colored dye.  Unfortunately, it has a pretty short life cycle and may melt down on you.

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