As many of you know, every year I organise a Butterflies for Lupus Showcase which is a collection of original butterfly art collected and showcased to raise awareness for the disease Lupus. In it’s seventh year this recent edition hosted a number of changes but I have still completed the challenge and produced yet another beautiful showcase.

The most obvious change to the Butterflies for Lupus Showcase 2019 has been the use of Instagram as the host and promotional tool. I have had some fun trying to ‘pretend’ that I know how to use Instagram properly. Some of you more expert may have read between the lines but at least I have learnt a lot of new skills… and I’m afraid to say I still have a lot more to learn.

Instead of inviting people to send me their butterfly designs and publishing them all on World Lupus Day, I organised a personal Instagram Challenge called Chasing Butterflies. The ‘challenge’ became a test to myself to design a butterfly everyday for the whole of May, that means 31 butterflies!. Obviously my personal challenge was also open to anyone who wanted to join in and a few people sent me some lovely butterflies.

The final showcase contains 42 butterflies which you can see on the Butterflies for Lupus website or on Pinterest. Please take a look and enjoy, there are some fabulous butterflies designs to be seen.

In past editions I have always made a donation to a Lupus Charity. However, this year I decided to buy a few nice butterfly themed items and hold a small prize draw between the people who sent me a butterfly and gave me support. The winners of the prize draw are Thomas Fummo, Maike Thoma, Ellie Fidler and Debbie Head.

Last of all I need to say a big thank you to everyone who supported the initiative ‘again’! I will be back next year with another Showcase to help raise awareness for the disease Lupus. As always thanks to Daniele who keeps a strict eye on the website.

Thanks for reading
Dawn