askingfortrouble

Original cute characters inspired by Japanese kawaii

Helensburgh, United Kingdom On Etsy since 2007

5,260 Sales on Etsy | 5 out of 5 stars

Buyers are raving!

This shop got multiple 5-star reviews in the past 7 days.

askingfortrouble

Original cute characters inspired by Japanese kawaii

Helensburgh, United Kingdom | 5,260 Sales on Etsy

5 out of 5 stars

Shop owner

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5260 Sales on Etsy
6584 Admirers
 

Featured items

  • UK Seasonal Food Charts / Magnets - Kawaii Fruit & Vegetables

    €5.30 Bestseller

  • The Super Cute Book of Kawaii - Signed Book or Bookplate

    €2.36

  • Japanuary Zine - 31 Days of Japan Memories- Digital PDF

    €3.54

  • Kawaii Lucky Bags - cute stationery, cards, badges and more!

    €4.71

  • Pick & Mix Kawaii Stickers

    €3.54

  • UK Seasonal Food Charts / Magnets - Kawaii Fruit & Vegetables

    €5.30 Bestseller

  • The Super Cute Book of Kawaii - Signed Book or Bookplate

    €2.36

  • Japanuary Zine - 31 Days of Japan Memories- Digital PDF

    €3.54

  • Kawaii Lucky Bags - cute stationery, cards, badges and more!

    €4.71

  • Pick & Mix Kawaii Stickers

    €3.54

    • All Items

    Marceline Smith

    Contact shop owner

    Marceline Smith

    Announcement    MARCH 2020 - I am currently shipping orders once a week while I able to do so safely. I do not come into contact with anyone else while packing or shipping. DELIVERIES MAY BE DELAYED, especially internationally. Please be patient and check the situation on your country's postal service website.

    Hello! I create accessories, stationery and gifts with my original kawaii characters and illustrations. The full range includes badges, bags, cards, letter sets, notepads, pins, polymer stamps, stickers, wrapping paper, zines and more!

    I ship orders on Mondays and Thursdays. UK orders usually arrive in 1-3 working days, international in 5-14 working days, but please allow 21 days in case of delays due to holidays, customs checks, adverse weather etc.

    For more about me, read my blog at blog.askingfortrouble.co.uk where I post regularly on illustration, Japan, kawaii, my self-employed life and more. You can also join my Patreon for exclusive printables, wallpapers, happy mail, previews and behind the scenes posts.

    My kawaii fabric designs are also available on Etsy via Spoonflower's store: https://www.etsy.com/uk/search?q=Marcelinesmith

    If you read this far, a special tip - if you ask me to draw something on your order form I usually will!

    Announcement

    Last updated on Mar 24, 2020

    MARCH 2020 - I am currently shipping orders once a week while I able to do so safely. I do not come into contact with anyone else while packing or shipping. DELIVERIES MAY BE DELAYED, especially internationally. Please be patient and check the situation on your country's postal service website.

    Hello! I create accessories, stationery and gifts with my original kawaii characters and illustrations. The full range includes badges, bags, cards, letter sets, notepads, pins, polymer stamps, stickers, wrapping paper, zines and more!

    I ship orders on Mondays and Thursdays. UK orders usually arrive in 1-3 working days, international in 5-14 working days, but please allow 21 days in case of delays due to holidays, customs checks, adverse weather etc.

    For more about me, read my blog at blog.askingfortrouble.co.uk where I post regularly on illustration, Japan, kawaii, my self-employed life and more. You can also join my Patreon for exclusive printables, wallpapers, happy mail, previews and behind the scenes posts.

    My kawaii fabric designs are also available on Etsy via Spoonflower's store: https://www.etsy.com/uk/search?q=Marcelinesmith

    If you read this far, a special tip - if you ask me to draw something on your order form I usually will!

    Reviews

    Average item review
    5 out of 5 stars
    (1984)
    See reviews that mention:
    quality 160 shipping 246 customer service 106

    About askingfortrouble

    Sales 5,260
    On Etsy since 2007
    • Inspiration can come from anywhere - the food I eat, the places I visit or my childhood love of space.
    • My cute characters end up on all sorts of fun products and I love shipping them out to you.
    • I license my designs to amazing companies who produce everything from clothing & kitchenware to bedding & wallpaper!
    • Working away on new designs in my tiny home studio in the west coast of Scotland.
    • My trips to Japan inspire everything I do and I also share my experience and tips in zines and my blog.

    Illustrated cuteness inspired by Japanese kawaiii

    Asking For Trouble is an outlet for all my creative fun - I'm
    an illustrator, designer, printmaker and writer and have been making things all my life, from collages and prints to experimenting with fabric and felt.

    I mostly start with doodles from my sketchbook and then work them into designs and patterns in Illustrator. Then it's the difficult job of deciding what to get them printed on - usually it's printed paper goods but I also have fabric printed and laser cut wood and acrylic. I also license my designs to appear on everything from mugs and iPhone cases to shower curtains and rainboots!

    My work is very much inspired by Japan and my visits there - I love the mix of happy kawaii characters on every corner juxtaposed by the traditional patterns of kimono and chiyogami paper. Most of all, my aim is to make you smile!

    Shop members

    • Marceline

      Owner, Maker, Designer

      Hello! I'm Marceline, the designer and owner of Asking For Trouble. I'm the one who designs the characters, patterns and products, packs and ships your orders, answers your emails and pretty much everything else.

    • Paulina

      Maker, Translation, Sewing

      Paulina is my mum and helps me out with translation (she speaks lots of languages including Dutch, German and French) as well as doing some sewing for purses and other fabric treats. The rest of the time she runs an antique shop in Portsoy.

    Production partners

    • Printing Company

      Leeds, England

      Products are printed and assembled to order using my original illustrations.

    • Print Agency

      ON, Canada

      Third party company that arranges the printing and manufacturing in South Korea using my design files.

    • Lulu Press

      Raleigh, NC

      Print on demand book publisher. My books are printed in the UK.

    • Enamel Pin Makers

      Huddersfield, England

      Acts as a third party to have my designs created as enamel pins

    • Mint Maker Studio

      Gateshead, England

      Collaborates on handmade polymer stamps featuring my original illustrations.

    • MOO Print

      London, England

      Products are printed using my original illustrations

    • Penguin Books

      London, England

      Printed by Penguin Books in China

    • Printing Company

      Winterhausen, Germany

      Products are printed and assembled to my design.

    • Printing Company

      London, England

      Products are printed and assembled to my design.

    • Spoonflower

      Berlin, Germany

      Prints my designs and patterns on to fabric

    • Sticker Printing Company

      Sweden

      Stickers are printed to my design.

    • Printing Company

      Welshpool, Wales

      They print my original designs on bags that are environmentally friendly and ethically sourced whenever possible.

    • YEAH laser

      Brighton, England

      Laser cutting service for my original designs

    • Laser cutters & printers

      Middlesbrough, England

      Laser cutting and printing services for my original designs

    Shop policies

    More information

    Last updated on Jan 9, 2019
    Frequently asked questions
    Sizing details

    Dimensions are included in all product listings and I try to include props to show scale. Please check carefully before ordering so that you are not surprised or disappointed when items don't match your assumption.

    Gift wrapping and packaging

    I am trying to reduce the amount of plastic packaging I use. All product pages include information on the packaging. I am working on finding more eco-friendly packaging for all products.

    Orders can be gift wrapped simply if you are buying a gift. Just ask at checkout. As this service is free, it is not always possible at busy times and I will choose from my own gift wrap range according to availability. I can also include a short personal message if being shipped directly, but please don't ask me to write long messages as I have nerve damage.

    Wholesale availability

    Most of my products are available to order wholesale for retail shops. Please visit wholesale.askingfortrouble.co.uk for more information and contact me for availability and prices.

    Photo props

    Props used in product photography (pens, decorations etc.) are not included in the order. Please read product descriptions carefully before ordering to avoid disappointment.

    Complaints, faults and problems

    I want you to be delighted with your order so please get in touch with any questions or issues. If your order hasn't arrived, or arrives broken or faulty, please contact me so that I can investigate. I would really appreciate the opportunity to fix any problems before you leave negative feedback. I'm only one person and mistakes can happen. It's really upsetting to discover a customer is unhappy with their order and I wasn't allowed to help.

    Product availability and custom orders

    If a product you like is out of stock, or you require more than are available, please get in touch as I may not be aware. Custom orders and personalisation are sometimes possible, either directly or through my licensing partners. Please contact me for more information.

    Licensed & personalised products

    I license my designs to a range of companies that provide print-on-demand services. This means you can order many more of my characters and patterns on a huge range of products including stationery, gift wrap, mugs, bedding, homeware, clothing and much more. You can also personalise some products with names and dates, or have cards sent direct to the recipient with your message inside. Please contact me for more information or visit https://askingfortrouble.co.uk/pages/licensed-products

    Seller details