If you grew up in Berkeley — or love someone who did — this puzzle is going to hit close to home. Your Mom Is So Berkeley is a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle illustrated by Berkeley-based artist Dawn Kathryn, packed with inside jokes, local landmarks, and the kind of earthy, quirky details that make Berkeley unmistakably itself. It's a genuinely thoughtful gift for anyone with roots in the East Bay, and a great excuse to put the phone down for a while.
✏️ About the Illustration
The scene? A Berkeley mom's kitchen — colorful, cozy, and full of easter eggs. From the olive bar tupperware to the People's Park postcards on the fridge, every detail is a love letter to a very specific kind of Bay Area childhood. Illustrated by Dawn Kathryn, whose work captures fun, warmth, and a little bit of yarn-y whimsy, this is a puzzle gorgeous enough to frame when you're done.
🧩 Puzzle Features
- 🔢 1,000 pieces — a satisfying challenge for teens and adults
- 📐 Finished size: approximately 19.25" x 26.75"
- ✂️ Random-cut pieces with a snug fit — move sections together without them falling apart
- 🖼️ Matte finish — reduces glare and looks great framed
- 📦 Box size: 10" x 9" x 2" — sturdy, giftable, and features the original artwork
- 💨 Low dust — cleaner puzzling experience from start to finish
- 🗺️ Printed reference image included
🌱 Eco-Friendly Details
- ♻️ Recycled chipboard and soy-based inks throughout
- 🛍️ Reusable, resealable bag for the pieces — no single-use plastic wrap
- 🏭 Responsibly made — factory meets socially responsible production standards
❤️ Why You'll Love It
- 🎁 A standout gift for Berkeley locals, East Bay natives, and anyone who gets the jokes
- 🖼️ Frame-worthy artwork — the illustration is detailed enough to display on a wall
- 📵 Screen-free relaxation — mindful, hands-on fun for adults
- 🛒 Supports local — buying this supports local artists, small businesses, and independent makers
- 😄 Full of easter eggs — spot a new detail every time you look
🎨 About the Artist: Dawn Kathryn
Dawn Kathryn is a Berkeley-based illustrator who has been drawing since childhood. Her work is warm, playful, and full of detail — think cozy worlds populated by animals, yarn, and community. This puzzle is a perfect example of her knack for capturing a place and its people with real affection and a sense of humour.
📖 The Story Behind "Your Mom Is So Berkeley"
YMISB started not on the internet, but on a slow day in a call center — two colleagues trading jokes over the cubicle wall, each one beginning with "Your mom is so Berkeley…" Roberto Santiago posted the first 30 jokes to Facebook, and the rest is Bay Area history. The group now has nearly 9,500 members and has been featured in the New York Times. For Roberto, the group is also a tribute to his late mother — a well-known Berkeley journalist who brought laughter to everyone around her. This puzzle carries that same spirit of joy, community, and local pride.
"I hope it brings you joy." — Roberto Santiago, creator of YMISB
Ready to build, laugh, and maybe frame something truly special? Add the Your Mom Is So Berkeley 1000-Piece Puzzle to your cart today — it won't last long.
"Every puzzle begins with art we love, mostly by people we know.
Our in-house puzzles are printed at Community Printers, a worker-owned cooperative and union shop, on materials from FSC certified sources. We mount each print on Eska blue puzzle board, made from 100% recycled material in a zero waste facility, with a fructose-based glue from a family-owned business here in the East Bay. We cut on our die press one batch at a time, and each puzzle is packed in a locally sourced, hand-assembled box.
Our imported puzzles meet the same quality standards. They're printed with vegetable-based inks by an FSC certified manufacturer and built on sturdy 1.75mm board, packed in a rigid box. Our manufacturing partner is independently audited for fair labor practices and worker safety (BSCI).
All of our puzzles come with a reusable bag."