So it’s 2012 and there are so many things happening this year that it’s almost too much to list. However, maybe it’s time to begin making plans for the summer!

We’re proud to announce that Ellusionist is a sponsor of this year’s Sorcerers Safari in Canada!

I recently had the pleasure of talking to the founder of the Sorcerers Safari, Mike Segal. The first thing I will say is that he is VERY passionate about doing this for the youth in the magic community. Throughout the years he’s rounded up some of the biggest names in magic for an experience unlike anything you’ve experienced before. For one week in the summer (August 27-September 2) campers will be immersed in all things magic and fun.

Having a line up like they do it makes me wish I was a kid again just to be able to experience what it’s like to be surrounded by my heroes who are there to help ME in what I’m trying to accomplish!

I’m going to run through some of the things that go on at the camp but for more information please head to their website at www.Sorcerers-Safari.com.

This camp is packed with topics ranging from simple sleight of hand all the way to magic as a business and even magic theory!

This struck a real chord with me as you just can’t get that type of access to people of this calibre at a convention. Let me give you a few of the names that are part of the Sorcerers Safari;

• Aaron Fisher
• Lee Asher
• Shawn Farquhar
• Greg Frewin
• Wayne Houchin
• Eric Leclerc
• Ben Train

And the list goes on and on….

This year the FISM Champion SOMA will be on the list of guests. Keep in mind that the guests may change but will definitely grow, as time gets closer.

So what does that mean for campers? Well it means an unheard of opportunity to actually spend an entire week not only learning from but also hanging out and just jamming with everyone! Man, I really wish I was a kid again. They even go as far as to assist the parents of campers find accommodations nearby if they’re worried about their little Houdini being too far away!

The point is that this is a WONDERFUL opportunity for you or your children who are aspiring magicians to have access to something that very few people do. If it weren’t for Mike Segal and his dedicated staff, none of this would come to pass.

Registration is easy and more than affordable for the week of unforgettable experiences and life long friendships made. We here at Ellusionist are proud to sponsor and honored to assist someone doing something truly amazing for the magic community!

Later this week I’ll be interviewing Mike Segal and he’ll be talking about the Camp and more. If you have any questions, we would like to help get them answered, leave your questions submitted below and we’ll get the info. Also as more information comes up about the camp we’ll be sure to update you as well. Keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter. Secrets come from everywhere

-Xavior Spade

For more information please visit the Sorcerers Safari website:

www.Sorcerers-Safari.com

Also Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ellusionist

And on Facebook : http://facebook.com/Ellusionist

There will be some amazing things happening this year and some opportunities for all of you to get some cool shizzle!

Your voice matters…Let it be heard!

Did Santa not come through with a Pure Smoke? Not enough Infinity decks of playing cards in your stockings? Hoping to unwrap some Metal on Christmas morning? You can fix that. Pretty easily until Friday, in fact. Until midnight Friday (U.S. Eastern), you can take 15 percent off your entire order. Combine that with discounts you get for buying decks in larger quantities, and you might get up to 30 percent off of some items.

Merry Christmas to you, indeed!

Yes, 15 percent off is crazy. Not quite used-car-salesman-guy-on-TV crazy, but crazy for us. We hardly ever offer an entire storewide discount. So why the sale? Because you deserve a treat to yourself. And because we need to clear space in our warehouse — see, there’s a bunch of hotness coming in 2012, and we need to make space for it. Our moving project is your gain.

In any event, this is a chance for you to fix any magic-gift omissions. Fill your cart, then when you get to checkout, use the promo code “3DAY15OFF”. Keep that holiday glow around a few extra days. And yeah, holiday giveaway bonuses still count. We’re still throwing in bracelets, after all…

So, whatcha think of our new digs? The Ellusionist blog was upgraded to improve its social network functionality, content and user-friendliness. Here’s a walkthrough of the changes we’ve made:

• New tabs at the top help you find your favorite posts. You can check out our latest posts, featured posts that are must-read material or some of our most commented posts, which include pictures of a hot Kim Wyatt and a stubbly pic of Criss Angel’s beard. Ah, memories.
• Facebook and Twitter functionality is built right in. You can log in with your Facebook name, making it that much easier to post comments. It’s also easier than ever to like or tweet what you see here.
• More room for bigger videos and pictures. You’ll squint less, and that’s a good thing. That also gives us an excuse to share more videos, and that’s a better thing.
• Fewer things on the side column. That means the blog will load up faster than it has in the past.
• More interactivity and more content. Though we’ll keep you up to date on the latest doings in the magic world and our latest products, our trained wordmonkeys have planned a bunch of unique features, articles and podcasts so that you’re reading fresh stuff, not yesterday’s news.

Let us know what you think: Leave your comments below. And to show you what we mean about bigger videos, here’s one of the winners in our recent Arcane Gaff contest. Dave Maze claimed a pretty big prize with his spin on the iPhone card.

Christmas isn’t over until we say it is. And we have some presents to give out.

The following people won prizes in our 2010 Holiday Giveaway. Prizes will be shipped in about two weeks, except for the guy who won the shopping spree (we’ll be in touch, Richard).

Here’s the list of winners: (more…)

We love talking with customers and fans across a myriad of social networking sites and venues. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, we’re all over the socials and love finding out more about you — your favorite tricks, your pics and vids, everything.

But those who have followed Ellusionist for more than a few years know the best conversation about magic happens in our Performance HQ Forums.

For almost 10 years we’ve built up one of the largest communities of magicians focused on a common goal: Helping each other get better. The forums have one of the best reputations across the Internet for that reason. One of the reasons we are proud of the forums is the group of Moderators and Elites — their strong presence keeps discussion focused and helpful, without devolving into immature debates and needless negativity that make similar forums painful to navigate.

This Christmas, those Mods and Elites are raising their game. You’ll find out exactly how during Holiday Magic Week on the Ellusionist Forums.

Between Dec. 27 and 31, 11 (and maybe a couple more) performers will present mini-lectures covering areas of their expertise, from coin magic to kids shows. Each day, at least two videos and/or links to live-chat workshops will be posted. The lectures are completely free — all you have to do is log in.

Check out the lineup. We’ll see you during the week after Christmas.