I use it some. I know you need to start by pounding the chalk filled pounce pad on a hard surface to fill the pad with chalk.
You don't "pounce" it on the stencil...you rub it back and forth (like cleaning a counter top with a sponge).
To get color in it...you could add a tiny bit of chalk...but be careful...that chalk with color may be permanent. Best to buy a blue pounce chalk and just add a tiny (1/8 teaspoon) to the filled pounce...shake it well and then pound on hard surface to start the new shade through.
I usually make my own little pad out of a piece of terrycloth...I take the pounce powder (or corn starch), add a touch of cinnamon...(bugs hate cinnamon) to add a little tint of color...and use that filled terrycloth as my pounce..tap/pounce onto a hard surface...then rub over the stencil, as with the pounce pad.
I sometimes even make my own stencils... I'll take a piece of tracing paper, print the design onto it... put several layers together, stitch over the design/layers with an unthreaded sewing machine..take apart...many stencils to pounce with.
Marge