The Magic Of English: 22 Illustrations By A Mom That Prove Dad Jokes Are Not The Only Funny Ones

In a world where dad jokes are often seen as the pinnacle of humor, it's refreshing to see a mom step up and prove that she can be just as funny. This mom, who grew up in a small French village with a Russian aristocrat father and a Tarot-reading Buddhist mother, has taken to Instagram to share her unique brand of humor through doodles and puns.
Despite her background, this mom has developed a pared-down and graphic style that is accessible to everyone who speaks (some) English. Her cartoons are clear, direct, and above all, hilarious. And while she may worry about running out of puns, with an estimated 170,000 words in use in the English language, she should be okay for a while.
So, the next time you're looking for a good laugh, don't just turn to dad jokes. Check out this mom's Instagram account and be prepared to be entertained. Who knows, you may even rediscover your own sense of playfulness along the way.
More info: Instagram | surrealians.com | twitter.com

#1. Goose Bumps

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After completing a BA in Product Design and spending ten years in the UK, Nadia moved back to Stockholm to work as an interior designer. And now, on her Instagram account (@surrealians), it's her mission to make the world a little sillier, one ridiculous pun at a time. Nadia loves the amazing possibilities that the English language offers to word nerds like herself.

#2. Usbee

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The idea of doodling came to Nadia while recovering from a cold. It was a happy accident that she discovered this style of cartooning, and therefore it is pure play for her. In this space, she can be playful and joyful, and she doesn't worry too much about making flawless illustrations. She shares doodles and puns simply because they make her smile.

#3. Knight Owl

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#4. Star Fish

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Nadia's family background is a mixed bag, so she has developed a pared-down and graphic style that is very clear and direct, accessible to everyone who speaks (some) English. Playfulness is something she's rediscovered thanks to her Instagram account. It's always been important in her work and in her life, but it got shoved aside when she was too busy adulting.

#5. Sleeping Pill

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#6. Bottle Cap

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She thinks all humans are playful in childhood, but growing up, it's hard to hold onto your playfulness when life becomes chock-full of adult responsibilities. What she does now is try to just draw in her sketchbook regularly without the pressure of posting anything, just for fun.

#7. Eye Shadow

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She also thinks perfectionism can easily kill creativity, so it's crucial to find a form for being creative that is SO small that the monster that is perfectionism isn't alerted to what you do. She calls it The Smallest Thing. As in, what's the smallest thing she can do creatively to get her going.

#8. Clown Fish

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#9. Pepper Spray

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Nadia's various creative pursuits as an interior architect, writer, and illustrator are sometimes difficult to balance with her personal life because there simply aren't enough hours in the day. But they do inspire each other quite often because life is full of serendipity, and even an everyday situation can trigger an idea for a doodle or an illustrated story. Inversely, she's now introducing her doodles in her work as an interior architect, and (it's not all decided yet) she's hoping to do a mural with her black and white doodles on the interior wall of a project soon.

#10. Fish Fingers

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#11. Cereal Killer

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Nadia has a passion for the English language and wordplay, but funnily enough, the people whose work she admires use words quite sparingly (if at all). She loves the cartoonists Saul Steinberg and Sempé and also the writer and illustrator Edward Gorey. And of course, the Japanese graphic designer Shigeo Fukuda, the tattooist Michele Volpi, and the songwriting of Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen. And there are so many. She'll have to come back and add to the list

#12. Fire Crackers

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#13. Butt-Erfly

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#14. Buffalo Bill

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#15. Super Glue

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#16. Key Board

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#17. Coconut Milk

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#18. Peanut Butter Cup

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#19. Sweat Pants

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#20. Squeaky Clean

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#21. Kit-Tea

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#22. Straight Face

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