Okay, so the fonant looks perfectly smooth when I roll it out and when I first place it on the cake. Why then oh why do parts around corners and over edges come out not exactly cracked but looking like elephant skin???? 
What can I do to prevent this?
It's drying out if your getting elephant skin.. How are you rolling it out and how do you put it on the cake? If you use the vinyl it helps keep the fondant from drying out.
I'm rolling it out on a silpat mat, but I am actually adding a LOT of extra sugar (believe it or not!) because the recipe I'm using comes out seeming too soft. And, it is somewhat sticky. I haven't had a class for fondant, so I don't have an idea of what the actual consistency should be, but I've heard that it shouldn't be sticky. Maybe I'm not kneading it long enough?
Are you using it right after you make it? Some fondant recipes tell you to let it rest for a little while before using it. If you let it rest it might not be so soft and you might not need to add more powder sugar.
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