The holiday season, shows, new projects, and conventions have made for a busy schedule the last few months. I’ve been working so much, that frankly the Paul’s Picks took a back seat in December. Not to mention that sometimes it takes awhile for new items to “grab” me. I’ve never really meant these to be “reviews” of the items but truly a reflection of the kind of material that I would pick. You simply can’t force those selections. Sometimes you have to let them stew.

Regardless, I’m back to start off 2012 with a strong list of personal winners and I think you’re bound to find a few that grab you too! Enjoy...

• Voodoo Doll Prediction: George Robinson the owner of Viking Magic and Collector’s Workshop does not crank out new items. So when a new one does appear, you can bet he’s worked out every detail and fine point. That’s definitely the case with his latest effect the Voodoo Doll Prediction. This is a fun effect that is SUPER simple to do, and guaranteed to get great reactions. The props are very well made and create instant interest in the routine. Lot’s of room for fun with the spectators in the effect. If you like the premise, you’ll love the method.
• Blindsight 2: I was a big fan of the original Blindsight and I still am. Blindsight 2 differs from the original in that this version was designed for the stand up performer. It’s a very strong mentalism effect in which the spectator seems to do all the work and in the end they correctly predict an impossible number of moments. There’s also a lovely climax that puts the spot light back on the performer. This really is a great routine. It may be a little bold for some but it’s well thought out and I can personally attest to how strong it plays. This new version also includes a fun moment with the Stroop Test Chart. One side note, this can still be easily used for close up performances as well.
• Outstanding: As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts I strongly contend that there is no “perfect” method for any trick - just what is perfect for a particular moment, environment, and situation. The person who is appears most “perfect” is the person who is best prepared. When it comes to Out Of This World, I’m prepared. I love the premise and have collected dozens of methods over the years. Robert Mansilla’s method will happily join my arsenal. This is an extremely clever approach to the OOTW with the added bonus of being useable as part of a parlor or stand up show. This plays at chest level and the diabolical handling relies more on subtlety than difficult sleights. I think this is a great solution and if you’re an OOTW like me I suspect you’ll be very pleased.
• Cinch: Shaun Robison is a talented magician from Utica, NY and there’s no doubt that he has some real chops. Shaun also works regularly in front of paying audiences and that means he also has an eye for real world, practical magic. Cinch is a fast, eye popping transformation that makes for a great opener. He covers every detail that you’ll need to master the basic effect, not to mention a number of alternative presentations. It leaves you with a clean bill, so you also open the door to other money effects as well. Good stuff for anyone looking into visual bill changes.
• Speakeasy: If you’ve ever had the chance to see a well executed code act then you already know how powerful it can be. Dan Harlan’s latest DVD reveals his personal two person code and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to learn – and how effective it can be. Dan has really reduced the system down to a very simple approach which allows for some truly remarkable effects. While easy to learn, it will still require practice by both parties to truly make the system move smoothly. Like any code system, I think you’ll have to “live” with this for awhile to achieve real proficiency. If you’ve ever been curious about the topic this will make a great starting off point.
• Destination Box: Jon Allen’s Card to Box has received rave reviews for years and I’m very pleased that we are now able to offer it to our customers.  It’s very well made and its clever design allows you to let the person who signed the card remove it for themselves. It’s large enough to play to a sizable audience and can easily be adapted for other effects including Bill to Box, Headline Predictions, and more. It’s been produced in solid American black walnut and finished with solid brass hinges, hasp, and staple with a legitimate working padlock. All in all a high quality prop that could easily become the feature of your show.

I was amazed at the response to last week's blog post. This year's Holiday Challenge seemed to truly stir people and I was astonished at the emails I received regarding it. People shared stories of donations of time and money to everything from children's hospitals to food pantries and nursing homes to armed service support groups. It really was overwhelming. Thanks for sharing the stories and my hope is you'll keep that magic going throughout 2012.

That kind of response is the one thing that never ceases to amaze me. We have some of the most loyal customers in the business and I'm grateful for the support. We work hard to earn your patronage and it's great to know that does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all your business over the years and I promise we will continue to work tirelessly to gain it again in the coming year.

I am very optimistic about 2012. I see change on the horizon and the months ahead will be very exciting. I'm reminded of a poem from the English poet Edith Lovejoy Pierce...

We open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them.
The book is called Opportunity,
and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Happy New Year everyone! Time to start writing...

2011 will not go down as a banner year for Elmwood Magic. I'm not complaining, but the rough economy has hit the magic industry as it's hit all others. I know I'm not alone. Working harder and longer hours has simply become the motto of many across the globe.

But as Christmas rolls around our hearts and heads turn towards the future and thoughts of what could be. I'm an optimist and I don't see much sense in being anything else. The world we want and the life we've imagined is not impossible to achieve. It just may require more work and longer hours - luckily we've all had a lot of practice.

Of course, we could all use a little help.

Last year I sent out a holiday challenge and I've decided that this year it needs to happen again. So here's my Christmas wish...

Pick out one trick you've wanted at Elmwood Magic - and skip it.

Use the money to help someone that needs it.

Magic is a word that is hard to define, even for magicians. Being a magician requires that you take the abstract idea of magic and turn it into some kind of reality. I think that's a big job and an important one.

I take it seriously.

This holiday season, don't just do magic - be it.

Merry Christmas everyone and best wishes for a joyous and magical holiday season.

(Click here to see the video from Skip1.org that inspired the challenge.)

One of the most important components of performing magic is the words we use. Sadly, this is often the least considered portion of our performance. We master some complex skill, effect, or routine and we immediately rush off to demonstrate it. Our presentations often amount to nothing more than narration.

“Take a card, put it back, I will shuffle the deck...”

You get the idea.

Real world performance demands more than meaningless babble or obvious narration. The correct choice of words (or silence) can elevate the simplest of tricks to a truly magical experience. Finding the right presentational hook is not easy - but it’s a search well worth beginning. As is often the case, the best place to start is to look within. Your interests, hobbies, and life experiences can offer a vast world of inspiration. Best of all, creating presentations that tap into the REAL you can often engage the audience more deeply and honestly. It helps to showcase you as a complete and authentic person, which only serves to make the show more absorbing and memorable.

Don’t be afraid to reveal yourself.

Don’t be afraid to look foolish.

In just a couple days Americans everywhere will be celebrating Thanksgiving. A day filled with family, friends, and of course - food. Those are all very good things to be thankful for and it never hurts to appreciate the great things in our lives. We live in a bountiful country and it’s easy to take that for granted.

If you’re reading this, you have reason to be thankful - period.

As luck would have it, the list below is filled with REALLY great items and I know we’re all thankful for that! All kidding aside, this month’s Picks are exceptionally good so get that clicking finger warmed up...

• Rattled: I have no idea why it took so long to add this to Paul’s Picks. For some reason, even though it seemed that EVERYONE was talking about this, I just never included it. I’m happy to finally add my voice to the chorus and say it is an excellent item. There are lots of reasons to like this - the props are clever and well made, they look very congruent with the environment, and the magic is very strong. Not a bad combination. The vanish of the coin from under the spectator’s hands is pretty remarkable but there are lots of other great ideas on the DVD as well. Highly recommended!
• Noted: I’ve had a lot of fun with this. It’s a natural for anyone who does restaurant work but it fits well in almost any strolling environment. Don’t be bothered by the video demo which for some reason adds a video effect at the moment of the change. Not sure why they choose to do that but in the real world it looks great. I’ve toyed around with a few handlings and I prefer to simply make the change happen with one hand. I just hold the unit in my palm up left hand. Then, while turning the hand palm down, I close the gimmick and gesture towards my watch saying, “This trick takes only a second.” When my hand turns back up the notepad has become a deck of cards and I’m ready to go. Obviously best suited as an opener.
• Chill: This is strong stuff! Tom Wright has created a great version of the classic Haunted Deck that takes place in the SPECTATOR’S hand. Yes it uses I.T. but the setup is very practical and can be used over and over again with no need to reset. He covers every angle and aspect of the routine in great detail. Not just the basics – hand position, audience management, angles, EVERYTHING. I think this is will be making its way into the repertoires of many working pros.
• Timeless: Please don’t buy this. Are you still here? Seriously, don’t buy this. I really would like to be the only one doing it. I love this routine! It’s bold, strong, and powerful – not mention you’re clean as a whistle when you finish. If you haven’t seen the video demo, just click here to see the effect for yourself. I’ve been using this for a while and keeping it pretty close to the vest, it plays very strong and I’m a little sad to see it go into wide release. You, however, should be happy. Very happy.
• Red Button: It’s hard to believe this is not getting more attention. YES, there is a somewhat involved set-up. But it’s a one time deal and then you’ll be all set forever. When you’re done, you’ll have a VERY cool effect that no one appears to be doing. What you see on the video demo is exactly what happens in real world performance. This is strong visual magic, with a fun and offbeat plot. Trust me when I say it’s well worth the effort.
• Dave Powell’s Knife Through Coat: I’ve always been a fan of this effect. It plays huge and yet can be carried in a close up case. It can be performed in almost any setting and any coat can be used. It’s a naturally comical effect with lots of space for personality. Dave’s approach is simple and highly practical (and as someone who has looked at a lot of Knife Through Coat routines), I think it’s easily among the best. The knife is real and can be examined...no funny removable blades to worry about. All in all, I think this is a steal for the low price.