Did You Try Something New in February?

I did and it was a flop.  At the beginning of the year I thought I would challenge myself to try something new each month.  January I started this blog - definitely something new.  February - I thought and thought and decided to try to make lollipops.  My son is a huge fan of them and I thought no problem.  At first look they don't look bad:

But they tasted terrible.  I burnt the sugar and then tried to cover the burnt taste with a touch of butter and lemon juice.  Yuck Yuck Yuck!!!!!  When something is burnt, it is burnt!!!!  You just can't cover the taste.
I then proceeded to just dump it all over a tray and play with it.  Which was fun, but I still have the mess hiding in the oven. 

Here is what I did wrong:
*no candy thermometer (after all my grandmother never had one)
*no recipe (just a guide line from another recipe I kind of fudged)
*I was sewing while I was waiting for the "right temperature"
*never add butter to lollipops (these beauties curled right over the jar into all sorts of odd shapes)

One positive note:  My daughter loved them and encouraged me to keep trying.  Thanks kiddo!  And...I think I will, when I get a thermometer and a good recipe.