I'd suggest just a small tweak: use curved cards (like layered fern fronds) for the main forms, and small cards flying off from that as you mention. I think you'll have an easier time that way. http://cdn0.rubylane.com/shops/lilacvintage/113031.1L.jpg…
i think the b cone would be best. cone a needs plenty of smoothing groups the look smoothed without over-smooth the cone end. something like face a smoothes with b, face b with c and a, c with d and b. uv space uses the same vertices as the normal mesh and 2 vertices more for the seam. in cone b you can smooth all group 1…