Man, this cake that's due Sunday is giving me headaches galore!

So, nothing I thought I might do is working out (in my mind)

Now, even though I'm running out of time, I'm wondering about feathers on the sides of the bottom layer/tier. It sounds goofy, I know, but the top is going to be a basketball cake. (an 8" sphere)
The girl's name is Feather, so I'm now thinking it might be cool to somehow do feathers ~flowing~ up the sides of the lower cake so it looks almost like the cake is coming up through or on top of the feathers. Sounds weird, it might not be a 'go'.

Fondant feathers, cookie feathers, free-hand drawn feathers...
I see others have used real ones, but really, is that wise to place them against a cake? I've seen royal icing done so it's looks feathered, but am not sure about that either.

Any ideas would be welcome... like... yesterday!

Gosh, sorry for being a pain.

Maija

Do you have any wafer paper? You can make some real looking feathers w/it quickly.
Otherwise fondant ones aren't too bad.
Just draw a sample to use & free-hand cut them out.

BUT...
will fondant feathers dry by Sunday morning?
By the time I finished making them it would be late tonight... earliest.
That would mean they'd have to dry in about 24 - 30 hours.

If you add gumpaste or Tylose to your fondant, they'll be dry in just a couple of hours.