Happy Friday the 13th, Halloween fiends! This is indeed the final Friday the 13th before Halloween so – depending on your interpretation of the phenomenon – make the most of this lucky/unlucky day. In April of 2007 we explored the history and some of the affects that this spooky day has wrought over the years. Today we’ll see if anything truly notable has happened on a Friday the 13th… and watch for any mayhem that might occur today.

According to Wikipedia, there have been some pretty black events that support the idea that it’s an “unlucky” day: from fire to plane crashes to a hurricane, and even the death of Tupac. I scoured the Internet and couldn’t find more than that handful of “notable” unlucky events though.

Do you think that indicates a trend, that it really is an unlucky day? Or is it just coincidence? For my money, it’s just another day that will turn out as spooky or as awesome as I want it to be. (And maybe an excuse to see The Happening.) What do you think?

And congrats to our In Case of Zombies contest winners! There were so many good entries that we gave away more prizes than we originally announced. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Contest time! Threadless has reprinted the In Case of Zombies t-shirt… for a second time! To celebrate, we’re giving away one of these awesome shirts to a lucky reader.

To enter, leave a comment and tell us what’s your zompocalypse plan? Will you head for an island or join the ranks of the undead?

We want to encourage some creativity so one killer entry will win a Zombie Escape Plan journal to chronicle their ideas. Thanks to zombie lover and Etsy seller ChristineRenee for donating this awesome handmade journal! Be sure to check out her store for more zombie goodies. Sorry guys, but this contest sponsor flaked on us so no journals. But never fear, we’re sending out surprise packs for Kevin & Rick that will be way cooler.

The shirt says ‘Zombies have difficultly moving quickly’, but this contest is a little more speedy. It runs from June 1 – 10, 2008 so you have 10 days to calculate a plan and share it with your fellow survivors. Good luck boils and ghouls!

Boring Fine Print: One entry per person (IPs are logged, no cheating!). US residents only. T-shirt winner will be chosen at random. Journal winner will be selected on creativity and effort. Threadless doesn’t restock sizes so if they run out of the one(s) you want… we’ll figure out a good alternative. Be sure to use a valid e-mail address so we can contact you if you win. Your privacy is important and no one but 365Halloween.com will have access to your e-mail address.

Drew Falchetta’s dark art is beautifully unsettling. His water color paintings range from sweetly twisted to dastardly epics. His subjects are equally diverse; robots, snowmen, and creatures from the deep sea make frequent appearances. I especially like how he presents traditionally peaceful characters – such as nuns and cupid – and is able to put them in bloody situations without seeming trite. Something about the deadpan expressions of most of his subjects makes them seem perfectly creepy no matter what’s going on. A gallery is available on his website, and a few prints are available from I Vote For Art. Hopefully he will start offering more prints thought, because his creations would make wonderfully spooky decor.

Have a birthday or other event coming up? Kasey Smith recently staged an elaborate surprise birthday party with an awesome theme. “A yacht party to Angel Island that was infested with brain hungry zombies!”

I don’t know about you guys, but if I were the lucky victim of the surprise Yacht Club Yuppie Zombie Party I’d immediately elevate everyone involved to BFF status. That’s definitely the most elaborate and creative Halloween-related party theme I’ve ever heard of.

Do you think there were any survivors?

Here’s a super easy tutorial that can almost instantly create a costume: a fabric mask. No sewing is required for these Carnivale/Mardi Gras style masks, just glue and the embellishments of your choice. Since it’s such a quick and easy project, it would also make a good activity to do with the kids. Maybe a craft idea for a children’s Halloween party?

For a full-face mask, try this tutorial with pictures for a paper mache mask. This method gives you endless possibilities and is more durable than fabric alone.

For inspiration, Faceless Autumn and Deviant Art’s The Mask Club have lots of creative examples.

Have you made your own mask? Show off your creation: leave a link in the comment!

Most high school proms are a colossal let down. It’s supposed to be a “magical night”, but somehow they’ve become best known for bad music, tacky tuxes, and a cafeteria flavored meal. Among other things. So who wouldn’t want a chance to make some new prom memories?

The Portland Zombie Prom promises to be everything our proms weren’t; deadly tunes, cadaverous cuties, and even a costume contest! After you’ve scoured your local thrift store or eBay for your zombie costume duds, you can even arrive early and get your makeup done. Now there’s a perk for real zombie fiends: if you need help getting your dead on there are pro makeup artists available on the day of the Prom to help you out. Did I mentioned that costume contest winners will be crowned “Prom King”, “Prom Queen” with runners up also being crowned into the prom court? Something tells me winners will get more than a plastic tiara and a spotlight dance.

• Where: Mt. Tabor Legacy in Portland, OR
• When: Saturday, May 10th, Doors Open at 8:00pm
• Who: This event is 21+ ONLY (You have to suffer through your “real” prom first, sorry kids!)
• Who Else: Master of Ceremonies Baron Von Goolo, Writhe In Agony and 800 Octane will be our “Live” entertainment, DJ Apocalypse, DJ Non, and DJ Braineater will be spinning
• How Much: Tickets ON SALE NOW! $10 Advanced through TicketsWest, $15 Day of Event