Origami was first invented in 17th century Japan. Since then, it has become a popular and easy art form worldwide with some museums curating giant installations of hand-crafted paper birds. Now, it’s your turn to learn some of this art form for yourself.

You will need a magic thumb tip prop, your pre-folded origami animal, and a borrowed dollar bill from the audience. Ben Salinas demonstrates the special handling of the thumb tip for this trick. If you don’t have a thumb tip there are other ways to switch the bills using a cloth to cover your hands or any magic prop box that can vanish small objects using a secret compartment. Need a thumb tip? magicmakersinc.com sells a variety of skin tones and styles to fit your hand.

There are several hilarious shapes you can fold bills into, including a tiny t-shirt, bow-tie, heart, butterfly, small dog, sword, guitar, and even a little house with a roof. There are so many more ideas online that show step-by-step folds for each of these shapes. Get creative by choosing the kind that fits your personality best. These folded trinkets can also be kept on your shelf to display when you’re not using them in a magic routine. Enjoy exploring the craft of origami!