Ladies and Gents, it has been far to long since I have last post. Much has happened since I last posted that there is noway I can catch you guys up. But what I can do is point to a really clever magic show that I hope you all will enjoy. Many of the magicians here are very good and I just love the premise of the show. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/UeeY6CsIUt8

Tips for your Child's Birthdy Party

Since I have had a few years more then 20 to be exact doing Magic Shows for little ones I thought I would post a few tips I have found most helpful to familys

1   Pick a theme with your child. Having a theme will help you know what decorations to buy, what food to prepare, and what games to plan. Character parties are popular (think Sponge Bob or Spider-man or Cinderella ), but general themes work, too (pirates, fairies, princesses, cowboys, MAGIC or WIZARDS ). Allow them creative freedom. Sit down with your child at the table with a pen and paper and write down all the ideas you both like.

• Some themes will obviously be more difficult than others. Go with your child to a couple of party stores and see what's available or go online to stores like partycity.com or mycharmsfactory.com. It'll be easiest to pick a theme based on what you have at your disposal.
• A point I'd like to make here is lets say you do a theme such as Sponge Bob. Where would The magician fit in, in this case? Simple it is my job to be creative and entertain the guests particularly the Birthday Child And if I have done my homework I can create an effect or two that goes along with your theme, for example in this case  the never exhausting sponge trick.  A trick where through out the whole show the sponge that i constantly ring through out the show and it never seems to dry out.

2   Nail down the specifics. There are a few questions you'll have to address: When is the party going to be? How long will it last? Where is it going to be?  What time of day works into your schedule?Take your child's age into account. Generally, the younger the child, the earlier the party. You do not have to entertain all day--a few hours is more than sufficient. 

• If you're not having it at home, consult the desired venue to see what times are available. And Be sure to inform the Magician of exact address This time information is very valuable not only to your guests but also to the hired entertainment. 

3   Get invitations (that match the theme!). Once you have them picked out, it's time to finalize the details. Check your schedule to make sure there are no conflicts during the time you're thinking. On the invitation, put the start and end times, address, what each child should bring (swimsuit, etc.) and if there will be a meal so parents can plan accordingly.

• As for guests, a good rule of thumb is the child's age plus 1. And if parents can come along, great! It's best to have a couple others to help with monitoring and clean up.
• Have your invitations in the theme of your party. The other children will probably get excited, too. Your child can hand them out at school (if possible to do it discreetly) or you can give them to the parents if your child is too young (or forgetful!).

4   Buy decorations. For everything from table cloths to pinatas, a party store is your best bet -- or else you'll end up bouncing around town for days looking to piece it all together. And if they don't have a specific something, ask! They may be able to order it for you.  

5   Plan some games. These are the building blocks of a good child's party, so start thinking up craft projects, look into renting an entertainer, or utilize the facilities at an outside venue. Look in your phone book or online for party rentals or places near you. For younger kids, have a loose schedule to keep things running.

• Don't be afraid to go super theme-oriented. If you're having a Wild West party, have them pan for gold in the sandbox. Conduct a scavenger hunt with theme-related clues and a final prize.
• Don't be afraid to go super simple. Nowadays, kids aren't playing the old school games they could be. Instead of having them all plop down in front of the Wii, have them Capture the Flag, play Red Rover, Blind Man's Bluff, or have relay races.
• For older children, have more free time. The older the child, the less structured the party should be. Kids will likely want to do their own thing at one point or another. If they express this, don't stress. More free time for you and the other parents

6   Make party favors interactive. 

Let the kids take home the decorations. This is an easy and quick idea if you have something with a general theme, like princesses or baseball. And it allows for minimal clean up. 

7   Plan the party food. When it comes to parties, one thing is timeless: cake. Will you bake one or buy one? Or two?! Cupcakes are easy and super trendy as well. Whatever you choose, either get the order in early or go grocery shopping for the ingredients ahead of time. Make the food theme oriented, too.

• Despite what logic dictates, cake isn't enough. You'll need food food too -- make it easy on yourself and get some pizzas delivered or get a fast food restaurant or catering company to take care of everything. Finger sandwiches and lunch bags with sandwiches and fruit or cookies are great choices, too.
• If it's a nice day outside and you have a grill, kids love hot dogs and hamburgers. Don't forget the buns, mustard, and ketchup!
• If there will be other parents or adults attending and watching over the kids, have food for them, too. They may not be so keen on chicken nuggets and Sprite. 

8   Plan the party drinks. Soda pop, lemonade, and juice are all pretty standard. And if you'll be outside a lot, a cooler filled with bottles of water or cans of soda will surely be appreciated, especially if it's hot outside. And, of course, milk goes great with cake. If it's autumn or winter, have the kids play outside and come in for cider to warm them up.

9   Plan the goodbye. Give the other parents your cell phone number on the off chance they're running late, early, or sending someone else to pick up their child.

• As the child leaves, take note. Have them say goodbye to everyone, gather their things, their party favor, and mentally check them off their list. Never let the child leave on their own or with an adult you don't recognize.
• In my experience  I have found it best after all the games are done that is when the Magic Show starts and as soon as the magic show is over the Cake comes out and everyone sings Happy Birthday. 

I find this guys Skills Amazing and breath taking
Enjoy the show
Alexandre Lane

Wow! You guys thought I had no social life check this guy out!

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What I admire most about this is... this guy took something he loves to do and boy does he do it well. Shows it to the world and is most likely making a decent living off of it.  And even if he didn't make a living off of it. He most likely would still be doing it.
I also find it fascinating what other people can do with a deck of cards... Well in this case a few Thousand deck of cards!!!!
link just in case

Otto Wessely

Who is this guy...
Well a friend of a friend of mine told me about this German/French Magician (apparently we have a few things in common, like we are both short!), about a year ago and just recently he kind-of has exploded in the European scene. He has plenty of other videos... But the one below I believe shows his Brilliance!! sit back get ready to giggle
Cheers Chris
Otto Wessely Youtube Video

Costco Playing Cards

Here is the run down of the new playing cards produced by the U.S. Playing Card Company Bicycle Deck, for the big retail club company Costco.

1st off at $9.99 for a box of 12 that is a steal!!!

2nd glance the cards seem to do just fine. Spreading the cards and shuffling them. I wont get into the nitty gritty such as the deck itself is a bit thinner then the regular Bicycle deck 808. You see only a magician or gambler would want to know these things and my view is… if the cards past an audience member eyes then they can be used. 

3rd test. Breaking them in. I normally go through a series of steps every time I break in a new deck that consists of a couple different type of shuffles and end with a few not perfect farrow shuffles with a nice waterfall finnish.  What I noticed was that this deck breaks in very very easily. 

4th Two hours of wear and tear blood sweat and tears… the cards were done and what I mean by done. Crimps, Buckles and the move of all moves the DL were way more difficult I was catching thirds when I wanted just a DL. The Crimps and Buckles kept their shape (I did not like that) 

5th the mercury fold seemed much easier to me, not faster just easier the cards wanted to bend which can be a plus. 

6th Putting them in a card guard or trying to flatten them did absolutely nothing to try and rejuvenate these cards. 

The Card Box: not a big fan of these having the normal Spade logo at the bottom of the case and on top to playing cards. A face down card with appropriate color back and a face up 10 of hearts. I would much rather have the old solid back design.  

Conclusion:  If your doing a strolling gigs or table hopping your going to get 2-4 hours of life from these cards depending how rough you are with them. The way I handle cards I' ll most likely get 3 hours max per deck. Which to tell you the truth is not bad at all for the price. Normally I go through a deck a night while performing anyway. So why not use the cheaper cards. 

Hope this helps you al, it help me.     Cheers Chris

Sit back and relax

Light Show

I have no clue how they do this nor do I want to know: But it is cooooool!!!!