Making mermaid tails out of icing?!!!!! Help!

[namechangedtoday15]

My DD wants a mermaid cake for her birthday on Saturday and after much perusal of t'internet, thought I could make mermaid tails that stick out of the cake (as if the mermaids have dived into the cake).

If I just model them from ready to roll fondant icing, will they hold their shape or do I need a different kind of icing? Any tips?!

Ready to roll would work but you would need to make the tails in advance and let them dry to stiffen up before putting them on cake.

Thank you - how far in advance (complete novice here!!)

I'd give them at least 2 or 3 days depending how thick they are. They won't go off so it's fine. Don't forget to do any texture work etc on the tails whilst icing is still soft.

They will probably have tutorial's on youtube.

As far in advance as you can-they won't go off. How are you planning on doing the sea?

[love a mermaid cake!]

Don't forget the glitter!

Thank you all! I'll get cracking tonight. Will it be OK to add glitter once they're hard?

Was planning on buttercream roses all over - what do you think?

You need to add the glitter before it hardens, otherwise it won't stick. Make sure it's edible glitter!

It can be hard to combine fondant decorations with butercream, as buttercream has to be refrigerated. Would check online for cake tutorials. Have fun!

Or you could make the top of the cake look like the sea with dark blue and green butter cream just spread and roughed up to look like waves with flecks of white for foam?

For making mermaid tails google Debbie Brown Mermaid cake images. You can see how she does them.....

You can make glitter paint by mixing the glitter with a drop of vodka.......

Make sure you put sticks in them so they poke in to the cake.

Thank you everyone, so far so good. I have made 3 tails, poked cake pop sticks into them and done all the texturing! Not a bad job. Just got to make the actual cake now