Leesburg Resident Named Semifinalist in Peeps Contest

The Washington Post announced the winner of its sixth annual Peeps Diorama Contest, and among them was Leesburg resident Susan Shaw and two of her coworkers, Sue Robinson of Fairfax and Alison Ebersole of Arlington.

The team was announced as a semifinalist for their “Not Another 2012 Disaster Movie!” display, which portrayed the nation’s capital in the middle of a big mess.

Shaw said this was the fourth year her team had entered the contest but only the first time they were recognized.

“How this initially started was we wanted to do a Washington Monument earthquake with peeps propelling down it,” Shaw said. Before they knew it, Shaw said, the team was preparing an entire scene of the U.S. Capital, created from paper models.

“We started talking about how funny it would be to have a disaster scene. Then it was brought up about the Mayan prediction and that the world is going to end so it became a ‘what if’ scene.”

Shaw and her team members described the scene as a “still frame from the newest Mayan prophesy apocalyptic film," according to the Post. Candy-colored confections are shown ravaging the nation’s capital while three-headed Velocipeeps, made from plastic dinosaurs with peep heads attached, have reduced the Jefferson Memorial to rubble.

The Capitol and Lincoln Memorial have been set aflame and the White House is under attack by a slithering Chick Constrictor. Tourists are trapped in the chaos, a deadly sweet confection looming over them.

“Quite honestly, we weren’t going to do one this year because it truly takes so much time,” Shaw said. About 20 hours went into creating the scene, which was created in just two weekends.

“We were thrilled that we were semi-finalists. We get such a laugh out of it,” Shaw said. “It’s truly bragging rights. People who know us, and that this is our fourth year, they realize that we put so much time and energy into it. So we were very happy with the results.”

When asked if her team will be participating next year Shaw said, “I can’t imagine us not entering, however every year we say this is our last,” she said. “It’s become such a normal topic during conversations. Throughout the entire year we say, ‘That would make a great peep diorama.’ It does become a part of your life, so I’m sure we’ll be entering again.”