[packet_nerd]

Ha! Around that age (actually probably a little older) I begged and pleaded with my mom to get saltpeter and sulfur to make firecrackers and rockets. Eventually she relented and got it for me, but with the stipulation I had to wear a welding helmet, heavy coat, and heavy rubber gloves while working with it, and that only under supervision... Anyway, the actual gunpowder I managed to make didn't really work, just kind of fizzled out. I never managed to get a firecracker to actually make any noise. It sure was a lot of fun though. :-)

[0x0nyandesu]

Call your mom and tell her someone on the internet said she's awesome.

[jacquesm]

That sounds like you did alright at the making gunpowder stage but failed the containment stage. Pretty close though, so maybe you got lucky!