For your reading pleasure, and my writing pleasure:

This is a presentational plot for the Ghost Glass (where a spirit message appears on a glass surface). I don’t know if this actually works, but such details I have chosen to ignore.

Put on your finest fez and light up the water pipe – it’s time for some Asian Astonishment. Also, bring forth your gold shimmering mystical pack of ancient oriental playing cards (or use your regular bikes, if you feel normal). Have a card selected and remembered. Then have it burned in the pipe. While it burns the spectator is asked to hold a crystal ball. Now take a puff of smoke and blow it at the crystal ball. When the smoke clears the spectator can see the image of her card emerging inside the crystal ball! It is obvious to all that you have sucked the very essence of the card out of the flames and imbued it in the orb of seeing, for but a brief moment. Then, as suddenly as it came, it is now gone. 'Cause information wants to be free.

Josef K

The title of the effect alone is worth it.

Sounds pretty cool. It will work....I think.....?????

Hmmm... First of all, in order for the image to appear, you really need to get a good, moist breath on the glass to fog it up. The dry smoke may hinder this. Also, I can't imagine that a spectator would want you blowing smoke all over their hand.

Good concept, though. Just needs a little reworking.

Good point. Probably not something you would do at someones house... And depending of what you put in the pipe, you probably could conjur up some really strange illusions. Nobody but you would ever see them of cause.

...and to adgnyc: thanks!

Hmm...inhaling, or at least drawing the smoke of the card into your mouth does not sound very appealing. However, the name of the effect is excellent, and already has me working on some ideas. I'm a college student, see...

Well, I never inhale when smoking...

Of course you do! Nobody can hold their breath that long

Mike

Plus you'd have to do it at 4:20

Sammy the Kid

clinton? is that u?!?

I've never exhaled!

*coughs*

Ive seen this done at college parties, except without the card, sub herbals..

That's the best avatar I have seen on this site man...props...

Be warned that any snacks lying around after this trick is done will "magically vanish" rather quickly.