I'm a novice with fondant.  I was working on coloring my MMF today and it kept getting stuck to my gloves.  I added a bit of Crisco to gloves, kept on kneading/mixing color.  Fondant would keep sticking after some time.  I kept adding Crisco.  Now that I've got the color what I want it to be, my fondant seems very very soft, and it tears easily.  I need it to have some firmness to mold pieces to put on a cake.  Have I ruined it with too much Crisco?  Do I start over or is there something I can do to fix what I have?

Also the only other time I used fondant, I had the pieces out to dry for a couple days.  When I went to put them on the cake some pieces started to crack and dry.  I've read on other threads here many people make their fondant figurines, etc well in advance (even a month ahead).  How is that possible when mine cracked with only drying for a couple days?  Thoughts on what I didn't do correctly?  Proper storage for drying?  Would like to prevent that with this cake.

Thanks!

Something I found that helps is to not use powdered sugar when kneading the fondant but instead to use cornstarch and only touches of shortening as you knead in the color. Additionally, using a high quality strong color is key that you do not have to add as much to achieve your color. Also, adding your color and letting it sit overnight can often allow the fondant to achieve the color you are desiring. It often does not take as much color if you let it rest overnight and then reevaluate the next day.

As to your immediate problem, try adding a small amount of new fondant into the batch and work in a small bit of tylose kneading it with cornstarch.Let it sit for an hour and then see where it stands. Letting that hour take place allows the tylose time to absorb moisture. This method has worked for me when I have gotten into the same spot you are in.

As for the cracking figurines, this can often happen with fondant only figures. I use a mixture of 50/50 fondant and gum paste and it works great almost all the time. HTH