$('#insert a').click(function(){ var i = Math.ceil( Math.random()*3 + 1 ), newEls = ''; while ( i-- ) { newEls += fakeElement.create(); } var $newEls = $( newEls ) $container.isotope( 'insert', $newEls ); return false; }); $('#append a').click(function(){ var i = Math.ceil( Math.random()*3 + 1 ), newEls = ''; while ( i-- ) { newEls += fakeElement.create(); } var $newEls = $( newEls ) $container.append( $newEls ).isotope( 'appended', $newEls ); return false; });