Thingmakers and Creepy Crawlers!

They came out in 1964.  It was with much joy and jubilation that I received one soon afterwards!

You poured the Plastigoop into the metal molds, you heated the mold in the Thingmaker cooker thing, and when it turned the right color (a darker "cooked" color), you took it off the heat and let it cool ... and you had your own bug! or whatever.

Now, all of my Thingmaker accoutrements have gone with the wind.  But in later years, when it came out, I bought the reissue, whose package is seen thusly:

Sadly, this newer, "safer" version is like the Easy Bake Oven -- heating via light bulb.  So slow and inefficient!  After a couple of disappointing attempts, this thing is now in the attic.

However, in recent years I have come across two relics from the original sets. seen below.

 

Someday I am going to buy some more Plastigoop and pour it into this mold.

And I'm going to plug in this Thingmaker.

And I'm going to MAKE A BUG!

Just don't hold your breath!