I've seen so many cute cakes on here trimmed with boa (or feathers) attached to the base board, so I ordered some marabou trim online and it came in the mail today. I'm making a really girly sweet sixteen cake for a customer, with pinks, oranges and a touch of black. I love the look of the trim, but the daggone feathers are shedding everywhere. I'm afraid to attach it to the cake board, for I know half the feathers will end up stuck in the icing (they float off in the air!). How does everyone do it? Did I buy the wrong thing? Maybe that's what I get for buying "bargain" trim. Any suggestions?

I've never attached it to the board before, but this cake was displayed with the feather boa tucked neatly under the edge of a Wilton plate...you know, the kind with the little feet. Maybe you could try that if you can't get it to work.

Thanks, Jammjenks! That's a gorgeous cake. My marabou is really cheesy and thin, so if I stuck it under the board like that, it would disappear, LOL. Thank goodness I also bought some ribbon to trim the board with, just in case the marabou didn't work out. I'm in eastern NC, in New Bern.

Well, sounds like a good reason to go to Hobby Lobby to me...

I wish! The closest "hobby" place is Michael's and it's 33 miles away in Jacksonville. Boo hoo Is that where you get your trim (hobby lobby)?

Actually, the customer supplied it on the cake I attached above, but I have seen it at Hobby Lobby. WalMart may carry it too.

Party City also carries maribou boas. The one nearest me carries them all year long, but the next nearest only carries them during Halloween season. I guess it's a hit or miss.

Theresa

I'm fairly new to the site, and haven't posted any of my pictures for you to reference... but I attach marabou to my cake boards all the time... and any other sort of trim. For example, for my daughter's Valentine party at Pre-K, I found some red shiny trim at Wal-Mart - it had little hearts on it, too.

I have bought all my marabou from Hobby Lobby. It comes in 3 or 4 foot lengths - in all kinds of colors. I just hot glue it around the board. When I cut it, I just shake it out real good and run my fingers through it a couple of times. I've never had any get in the icing. I've had plenty of tiny little feathers on the floor though.... and on the counter... and in my hair!

Try going to Greenville. I know it is kinda far but they may have something. See if they have a costume store.

Thanks, gals! I'll keep looking. I just went online and the nearest hobby lobby is in Fayetteville, and that's HOURS away.

I have a differing opinion. I think that all of us want our products to be as sanitary and hygenic as possible. And for me, feathers of any kind, real or manufactured are not welcome near my food, but especially food that is sold or served to others.

Yes yes yes I understand we use cardboard circles and etc that has been God knows where but for me I don't care where those feathers have been I don't want them near my food.

I mean we freak out if folks don't wash their strawberries, right?
It just makes me wonder if any of those might have been tail feathers?

Just a friendly dissenting opinion.

They shed. I can't fathom how any company could manage to attach every tiny feather bit to the string.

I just unwrap mine, shake it out outside and let my daughter run through the fairy wing dust, then attach to the board. I use fondant though.

The full feather boas are less shedd-y, but cost twice as much.

I have seen them everywhere: Target, Wal Mart, JoAnns... Look in craft aisles and kids dress-up aisles

[quote="cakedesigner59"]I love the look of the trim, but the daggone feathers are shedding everywhere. I'm afraid to attach it to the cake board, for I know half the feathers will end up stuck in the icing (they float off in the air!). [quote]

I've never done a boa trim but have wondered a thousand times about that very thing...floating feathers. I'm glad you posted that - now I know not to use them.

[/quote]

I can totally see where you're coming from. I make sure that there are no floaties on my cakes when they leave the premises--you'd be surprised at how they boost my cake sales, though! I always get requests for them. I shake the living poop out of 'em before attaching. (Honestly, I didn't mean to pun ).[/quote]

MacsMom: Do you charge extra for the trim? I can see why they would be in high demand, it's so whimsical and cute for a kid's cake.

Can you spray your feather trim with heavey duty hair spray, maybe that will keep the feathers from flying off. I have used hairspray on costumes to keep the neck trim down and out of my face. It worked well.

Hope that helps.

The feathers are bleached white first and then dyed colors, I'm fairly certain the bleaching process has killed everything - if not, then the dying finished them off. (Again, I keep coming across those puns )

Geez Macsmoms...you just keep "stepping in it" ..... don't ya??

I use them all the time and I have never had a problem with floaties. When I cut them I do it away from the cake and then shake them out. THose feathers nver come in contact with the actual cake!