Building a Marionette – Making a Marionette Controller

12-07-2020

Keeping a strict schedule and routine is what kept me sane while taking care of Norm in the last five years he suffered dementia. My caretaking duties fine tuned my time-management skills. The drawback is that things can get bo…

Making Magic Tricks for Nielsen Magic is the Best Therapy

28-06-2020

My late husband and best friend, Norm Nielsen. He always smiled and laughed a lot. (Photo credit: Kari Handler)

Norm’s passing during the 2020 pandemic, h…

Missing My Best Friend: Norm Nielsen Passed Away Today

22-04-2020

In twenty-five years, Norm amassed one of the most extraordinary vintage magic poster collections in the world. (Photo credit: Zakary Belamy)

The last tim…

Alzheimer’s Decline in the Age of Coronavirus

05-04-2020

The last two weeks have been the longest days of my life.

If you have known Norm Nielsen, you know that throughout his life he was one of the most vibrant and active persons I have known. To the very day that he was diagnosed …

Okito’s Tools

23-03-2020

I have always said, you can tell a lot about a person by the things they hang on their wall.

In our office we have this framed picture of Okito and his tools:

Norm l…

Making Okito-Nielsen Chinese Sticks

16-03-2020

The illusion of the Chinese Sticks is a classic in magic. By “classic” I mean that it is such an old trick, that no one knows who invented it. It has been in the repertoires of most magicians for hundreds of years.

From the re…

The Most Famous Poster in Magic

24-02-2020

The Most Famous Poster in Magic: Houdini – Eclipsing Sensation
“The World’s Handcuff King & Prison Breaker. Nothing on Earth can hold Houdini a Prisoner.”
This is…

A Chair Fit of a King

17-02-2020

Many of you know that I am also a woodworker that likes to create custom wood products. This post was originally shared on my woodworking site: iWorkWithWood.com. However, since it was commissioned to be made as a special gift …

SAM National Convention – January 17- 21, 2020 – Lupe’s Review

10-02-2020

I have a HUGE soft spot for the Society of American Magicians. That was the very first magic organization I joined when I was 14 years old. Several service members from the Panama Canal Zone who were amateur magicians formed a …

Welcome to My World!

02-02-2020

Today is Sunday, February 2, 2020, and I guess this is a good date as any to jumpstart my magic blog.

Our webmaster (Lisa Caterbone from netmouser.com) is an SEO expert and has been pushing me for quite a while to write a blog…