Super Stuff!

Who could forget Super Stuff! Every kid wanted some & not all of us were lucky enough to get it. The most memorable thing about it was the unique smell! You mixed the powder with hot water & had to wait overnight till it "set". When you opened the container you had a big blob of bright pink gooey stuff. It was fantastic... you could make all sorts of shapes with it, blow bubbles & god knows what else. I think every kid remembers their Mum warning them .. "if you get that on the carpet!!!!".

I remember having several tubs of this stuff (must have been a lucky girl!). As soon as it started to look greyish coloured, Mum threw it in the bin.I can still smell it now.. it was probably full of chemicals & children today wouldn't be allowed anywhere near it! But we loved it !!! 

It seems that "SuperStuf" is remembered by many of us. There's an entire Forum devoted to the stuff here.

Shaker Maker

These were great fun! You mixed up the plaster in the shaker & the poured it into a variety of different moulds including disney characters, & all sorts of crazy critters. You then waited for them to dry (they shrunk a bit) & then painted them. These were invented in the good old days when children were encouraged to be creative. These too had a unique smell, which I can still remember to this day.

You'll find others people's memories of this great toy here.

Chrissy & Velvet
Chrissy & Velvet

Every girl remebers these remarkable dolls with the growing hair! You pulled the hair out of the top of the head & it grew just as much as you wanted it to. You could then brush it, plait it, or (as many did) wash it! This was a big mistake as it never looked the same after a visit to the sink. Chrissy was the original doll with cousin Velvet arriving a little later. From the moment Velvet was invented... I wanted one desperately! Here's my own personal Velvet story.

I had been desperate for a Velvet doll since I was about 6 years old. It wasn't till my 12th birthday that I finally got one. My parents kept tellingme that I was getting too old for dolls anyway. My Aunty Sheila asked my mum prior to xmas in 1975 what I'd like for a present this year. Mum jokingly said "oh the usual ... a Velvet Doll". This was the first Aunty Sheila knew about my long obsession with the doll & she obviously decided I was still just young enough for a doll, so being the lovely lady she was.. guess what she bought me! I remember opening the wrapping paper, still having no idea what was inside.