The 2022 Pinkorama Round-Up

Calling all 2022 Pinkorama participants to take a bow!  It’s time for the 2022 Pinkorama Round Up!

This year, we’ve got sepia toned memories of Edwardian England, a nativity play plagued with pudding, and two best friends hiding behind a shrubbery (shrubbus verdantus, anyone?).

Before we go further– I know, I know, you’re waiting for the peeps!– I just want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the Pinkorama participants.  Thank you for for being so generous with your time, your energy, your creativity.  In a time of so much uncertainty, it means so much to have these familiar traditions, to know that we can escape together into literary worlds, and to have the shared delight of marveling over these amazing scenes you’ve created.  Thank you for creating this oasis of sugary joy.

I’m also so delighted that the Pinkorama has become such a family activity.  This year’s superlative Pinkoramae were crafted by two sister teams and one mother daughter team.  The family that makes Pink Carnation Peep dioramae together stays together?

And now on to the Peeps!  It’s impossible to choose just one favorite out of so much gorgeousness– which is why I’m opening it up to voting!

Pick your favorite Pinkorama from the round-up below and post it in the Comments.  Voting closes next Monday (5/16). Winners will be announced on Wednesday (5/18).

In the order in which I received them, I give you… the 2022 Pinkoramae!

1.”Fall of Popeeps” by Carla and Rowan (from “The Record Set Right” in Fall of Poppies)

Camilla left England sixty years ago, but a letter in a once familiar hand sends her leafing through memories long since suppressed or deliberately rewritten, turning to the mementos of her Edwardian youth and the upheaval of World War I, preserved in silver frames and faded photos.  But no matter how sepia toned it may be, the past can’t be ignored….

Click here for a full description and more pictures of the scene.

2.  “Puddings, Performances, and Peeps; or, The Havey Cavey Nativity Where Turnip Makes His Move” by Carrie and Laura (from The Mischief of the Mistletoe)

How is one to put on a nativity play when there are French spies and Turnip Fitzhugh about the place?  It’s chaos at Miss Climpson’s as Sally Fitzhugh valiantly– valiantly, I tell you!– makes sure that the show goes on while her brother Turnip corners Miss Arabella Dempsey in a prompt booth not built for two.

Click here for a full description and more pictures of the scene.

3. “Peep-times in the Park” by Candace and Cassandra (from The Masque of the Black Tulip)

Crouching behind a bush with her two best friends to spy on the man-she’s-going-to-marry-who-just-doesn’t-know-it-yet and a dubious French marquise who might be a spy or just annoying seems like a brilliant idea to Lady Henrietta Fitzhugh.  Until she gets caught at it.  And suddenly, that shrubbus verdantus seems a lot less verdantus and a lot more pricklianus as she’s forced to endure a very awkward carriage ride home.

Click here for a full description and more pictures of the scene.

So many kudos to everyone!  Carrie, Laura, Carla, Rowan, Candace, and Cassandra, I am so in awe of your craftsmanship and creativity.  It is astounding to me how much personality you can bring to marshmallow and sugar and how true to these models these scenes are.  Thank you for bringing these books so gloriously to life!  (To Peep?)  Thank you for a superlative (supeeplative?) 2022 Pinkorama!

Now I’m handing it over to you, folks.  You know the drill.  Just vote for your favorite 2022 Pinkorama in the Comments section below!  Voting is open until next Monday, 5/16.  I’ll tally up the votes and announce the winner(s) here on Monday, 5/18!  Although as far as I am concerned, these are ALL winners and I couldn’t possibly choose amongst them.  (Which is where you all come in!)

And now… over to the judges!

17 Comments

  1. Laurel B. on May 12, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    This is really hard because they are all so clever! There’s something about ”Fall of Popeeps” by Carla and Rowan, though, that takes it to another level of creativity. It gets my vote. 🙂

  2. Elizabeth (AKA Miss Eliza) on May 12, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    I agree, SO hard this year, so I’m going with a favorite, #2 “Puddings, Performances, and Peeps; or, The Havey Cavey Nativity Where Turnip Makes His Move.” But seriously, you are ALL WINNERS!

  3. Maria Carla Delfino on May 12, 2022 at 8:20 pm

    Thank you Lauren for writing such fun books that inspire us and for generously handing them out to us all to boot!!! Carla

    • Dara on May 19, 2022 at 3:44 pm

      I always have such a hard time choosing!!! I think I have to go with Turnip and the pudding.

  4. Rachel Adrianna on May 13, 2022 at 10:50 am

    Turnip FTW! My vote goes to #2, but all of the entries this year went above and beyond. Great job, everyone!

  5. Sheila Churchill on May 19, 2022 at 3:30 pm

    These are all incredibly fabulous. My vote for #2 is just that is one my very favorite scenes and features the Dear Boy we all love.

  6. Debbi Olson on May 19, 2022 at 3:40 pm

    These were all so Peeptastic! #2 is my favorite! I just love that little peep sheep! And the audience ! Just everything I. The scene was so well done!

  7. Anita on May 19, 2022 at 3:52 pm

    Wishing there could be a three way tie! But really these are all so well done. I love the scenes depicted in numbers 2 and 3 (two of my favorite scenes from the Pink Carnation series). But If I have to choose just one, my pick is number one because of the uniqueness and detail. Great job everyone! And thank you, Lauren, for the inspiration and for sharing this fun peep tradition.

  8. Tess on May 19, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    #1 – Fall of Popeeps

  9. Pat Dupuy on May 19, 2022 at 4:28 pm

    They are all winners! If there can be only one I’m leaning toward scene #2.

  10. Carrie on May 19, 2022 at 8:29 pm

    I have to vote for #3 with poor Henrietta and Miles! I love the carriage detail, and that vicious marquise looks so irate!

  11. Kayse on May 22, 2022 at 3:09 pm

    Hard to choose, but my vote is for #1!

  12. Jessica S on June 2, 2022 at 9:35 am

    #2 but just by a pudding…well done, all!!

  13. Betty Strohecker on June 2, 2022 at 8:40 pm

    #2, Puudings, Performances, and Peeps!

    • Maria DittoDitto on June 2, 2022 at 10:19 pm

      It’s a tough choice…#2!

      Ya gotta love that Turnip.

      Congratulations to every one who submitted an entry. I don’t think unpacked Peeps would last too long with me around 😉

  14. LynnS on June 3, 2022 at 1:53 am

    “Fall of Popeeps” narrowly edges out “Puddings,” but it gets harder to choose every year. The creativity is impressive!

  15. Jeremy Bender on June 3, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    I vote for #2!!

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