Last night at class my instructor and I noticed while I was practicing roses that my icing was cracking. She checked it and said it wasn't too stiff or dry and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I think it's b/c there are so many air pockets/bubbles in it but I'm using a hand mixer for now and I don't know if it's possible to get them all out. What should I do?

You can try (after it is mixed) stiring it with a spatula or wooden spoon, without beating more air into it. This sometimes helps break up the bubbles.

Still having trouble with this. My thin icing is fine b/c I smooth it with Viva but my medium and stiff icing looks like it's cracking or feathering when it's piped. That makes for not-so-pretty flowers and borders, kwim? Is there anything I can do to get it smoother?

I use a stand mixer and for awhile was also having the same problem. My instructor told me that I may have been over beating it.

Hmmmm, I wonder. It doesn't seem like I'm overbeating it b/c with the hand mixer it feels like I'm just barely getting everything properly combined as it is. Well, the darned thing finally pooped out on me tonight, anyway!