#7. Coloring Card
by Jim Gerrish
Effect: A few days before performing at a
Birthday Party Show, I send a special birthday card to the
parents of the child who is having the birthday. The front of the
card shows a black and white line drawing of a circus clown.
The card is sealed in a separate envelope that is inside the
envelope that I sent to the parents. Along with that sealed
envelope is a letter to the parents telling them to make sure the
child brings the card to the show because I will do some magic
with it.
At the show, after showing the black and white drawing on the
front, the blank interior and the blank back of the card, the
card is placed inside a “magic printing press.” The
back of the card is still visible through an opening in the front
of the “press” and the Birthday Child takes a crayon
and writes his or her name on it.
Now, one by one, we take the “magic” crayons and color
in the picture magically. In this process, the crayons vanish,
one by one. First we color in with the red crayon all the parts
that should be red, like the clown’s nose, the buttons on
his costume, and so on. When that is finished, the crayon has
vanished… all used up. So now we color in all the yellow
parts… and so on. I only use four colors, red, yellow, green
and blue, but you could obviously use more. Before we finish, I
take the last crayon and use it to magically write a message
inside the card before vanishing the crayon.
The child then loosens the wing nuts and releases the card,
showing that it is fully colored in on the front, has the message
I wrote inside it, and still has the child’s name on the
back. It also now has a sticker inside containing my contact
information. I hand it to the birthday child along with a
refrigerator magnet so he or she can look at it all year long and
remember the fun they had turning (whatever age) and remember me
and this special magic birthday party.
Upon payment, you will be sent an e-book (pdf file) with the
instructions.