I have been practicing magic off and on since the late 1980's when I got a Houdini magic kit for my birthday, but have been practicing and performing seriously for the last 8 years. I used to be of the mindset that "bigger and flashier was better" when it came to magic. I felt that the "pick a card" card tricks were passe and that what spectators really wanted to see was gimmicks - things that required little skill to perform but looked amazing and impossible once performed. I used to walk around with my pockets stuffed full of crap that I now look at as ridiculous. It got so bad that I actually began carrying my stuff around in a backpack. I spent thousands of dollars on ever-more elaborate props and gimmicks claiming to "blow your audience away". It got to the point when I realized that I was carrying around too much stuff and I had more gimmicks and props than I knew what to do with and I began to feel bad because I was moving further and further away from the "art" as I spent less and less time practicing sleights or reading and spent more and more time looking for the next big gimmick.

Over the last year I have been on a personal mission with my magic. I wanted to get back to the basics and work on my technique. I also wanted to put the "packs small, plays big" line to the test and see just how small I could go while still being able to put on a great close-up act as well as be prepared for any impromptu situation that may arise. I began plowing through my stuff and cutting out what I did not need. I set my eyes on being able to fit an entire routine (aside from a deck of bikes and a sharpie which would not fit in the purse but were essential) in an old cigarette purse we had lying around (neither my wife nor I smoke, and I truly do not know where the purse came from, it has just been sitting around our house for about five years now, lol). I was able to reduce my load down to a small number of things: 5 Kennedy silver dollars, a set of Sankey 'Ear Plugs', a box of wood matches, a tiny notepad, a large paperclip (for Sankey's 'Paperclipped' routine which still plays HUGE whenever I use it), a small ITR, and a 'Color Monte' set (I don't go anywhere without this packet trick - it floors everybody). These items all fit comfortably within the small cigarette purse (aside from the bikes and the sharpie of course) and with them I am able to perform a 30-45 miunte closeup routine that gets huge reactions (the best that I have ever gotten) and the best part is that I am not forced to lug around huge props or that God-forsaken backpack anymore and I am still able to put on a professional-quality show with items that fit nicely in the breast pocket of my jacket.

Fine. If it works... that is great.

Y'know I hear guys complain that they only know card tricks and therefore can't do a close-up show. BALONEY... I can't tell you how many performers we see at the Magic Castle that kill, with 'just a deck of cards.'

Really cool! I recently bought a "Strolling Pouch" from The Ambitious Card" & was pleased to find a couple of extra slim, tiny pockets, one on each side, that can hold a sharpie & a pen. You might experiment with sewing a piece of elastic onto one side of the case. But irregardless, it's a very cool idea, what a neat way to "re-cycle" a cigarette purse.

Sir Richard.

Thanks Sir Richard, it works like a charm. Recently I've been tinkering with the idea of turning the cigarette purse into a minature change bag so that it could serve a more magical purpose.

I did some shopping at Dollar Tree, yesterday and found some great holders, for guys who want to carry small props with them. I found digital camera cases, with two zipper compartments - the larger compartment holds a deck of cards, with room for a few more things. They have a wide belt loop, so they can be held snugly on your belt.

Some stores may still have PDA cases with belt clips, which can hold a loose deck of cards.