OP said "When I lift my stencil, all I have is a faint, smeared mess."
The smear tells me that your stencil is shifting...the faint tells me that your pounce pad isn't fully loaded (saturated) with the chalk. Do what others have suggested to fully saturate your pad. If your stencil is moving, use spray glue or painters tape to keep it secure...your top has to be secure and taught, and on a hard surface. There is a learning curve, but basically...load your pad, secure your stencil, and you'll be off to a good start.