And.....the Winner IS......

Thanks to all who left a comment they were much appreciated. 

For much of the last forty years I have had a sort of fear of being thought conventional. That has receded so while I still abjure trendiness, I'm no longer harbouring a secret urge to be different for the sake of being different.

In this case, once the idea of an old toy approach hit me, I was uncertain if I liked it or just thought it quirky and something different.

So I asked for opinions  and have decided to allow myself to be persuaded by them to follow my original plan and keep my customary fluff. (Not cotton balls though, salvaged stuffing from ex-pillows and deceased stuffed toys. Waste not etc..)

I am, however, going to press on with gluing this to a base to raise it to muzzle height and to try to discourage it from floating off on the slightest draft in search of a tree or house to snag itself on.

After various internal debates about things like hiding the post in a bush, I've decided to paint it sky coloured though you have to put your eye at table level and look towards a backdrop to get the full effect. When looking down from a standing position, the post isn't terribly noticeable on a crowded battlefield anyway.

Flash update. As per Peter's comment below I tried using black for the post. I think that might be the way to go.