Oakland Puzzle Company
Your Mom Is So Berkeley 1000-piece Puzzle
Your Mom Is So Berkeley 1000-piece Puzzle
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Puzzle Details
- 1000 pieces
- Finished size: Approximately 19.25” x 26.75”
- Random-cut
- Matte finish
- Box size: 10” x 9” x 2”
- Low dust
Eco-Friendly
- Puzzle pieces comes in reusable and resealable bag
- Sturdy and giftable box featuring the original artwork
- Chipboard is made from recycled materials and inks are soy-based
- Factory complies with socially responsible production standards
Why You’ll Love It
- A perfect gift for Berkeley lovers
- Gorgeous enough to frame when finished
- Mindful, screen-free relaxation
- Supports local artists, organizations, and small businesses
- Pieces have a snug fit and can be moved together
- Includes a printed reference image
About the Puzzle
The quintessential Berkeley image comes to life in this hilarious depiction of a Berkeley mom's colorful, quirky, and earthy kitchen. Full of easter eggs and references to Berkeley life, maybe you can see a bit of yourself...or your mom in the illustrated puzzle.
About the Artist: Dawn Kathryn
Dawn Kathryn is an illustrator based in Berkeley who has been creating and drawing since she was a kid. Dawn sees illustration as a way of connecting with people. She likes to create fun and cozy worlds with her illustrations; animals and yarn being some of her favorite subjects. You can see her work on her website and Instagram, or you find her at a local pop-up or a yarn bomb near you.
About Your Mom is So Berkeley
Your Mom is So Berkeley didn't start out as a Facebook group. It didn't even start on the Internet. YMISB started on a slow work day in a Video Relay call center. Earlier in the week, a co-worker told me that my mom, a freelance journalist and known Berkeley person, had once written an article about his mom for the Bay Guardian. With little to do but chat over the cubicle wall, we started talking about our Berkeley upbringings. Eventually, we started lobbing jokes at each other. Each one started with, "Your mom is so Berkeley..."
"Your mom is so Berkeley...her idea of a vacation is camping in People's Park."
"Your mom is so Berkeley...all her tupperware is from the olive bar at Berkeley Bowl."
Your mom is so Berkeley...she was the midwife at her own home birth."
I posted them to Facebook, which had been open to the public for about a year at that time. The first 30 jokes were posted as a Note. After 58 friends added their own jokes in the comments, I created a group to see if other people would be interested in joining the fun.
When the New York Times, wrote about the group in 2010, we had 1,100 members. In 2025, we have 9,500 members. Small by current Internet standards, but perfect for a group dedicated to niche jokes about a small city.
While the jokes have ebbed and flowed over the years, the group remains a joyful touchstone for a particular type of Berkeley parent and child experience. It's a place where people have found community and found that their weird childhoods were more common than they knew. Heck, the group even saved Mr. Mopp's toy store from closing.
YMISB has been a small slice of joy for many people. For me, it was an important part of my grieving process, having lost my mother to cancer just a couple of years prior to creating the group. The group continues in part as a tribute to her and the laughter she brought to the world, which lives in me and my children. If you purchased this puzzle, I hope it brings you joy. I am incredibly touched that something I created inspired others to create something as well.
