The Story So Far:

A Journey Through My Small Wilderness

In Indonesia, we have a saying:

 β€œTak kenal, maka tak sayang.” 

It means, You have to know someone before you can love them.

So... here’s a little story about me and the little business behind In Our Wilderness. From how it all started to where we are today, I want to share a little bit of our journey with you. β™‘

My name is Grace Vania, but most people call me Vania, and I’m 25 years old this year, yipee.....getting old... hahaha. Anyway, this is going to be quite a long story because I want to tell you how In Our Wilderness started and share a little bit about the journey so far, so... buckle up! :)

Back in 2020, I remember sitting alone in my room in Singapore, getting ready to graduate from my 1-year design course, with no idea what I was going to do next. With the pandemic happening, I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to fly home.

I knew I wanted to do something with drawing and art, and somehow, the idea of making stickers came to mind.

And that’s how it all started.

Baby Steps

I started with Mauvey, the blue-haired girl that you guys actually named when I first posted her. I got to grow the business for about a year and a half before I was given the opportunity to continue my studies in Melbourne, Australia, which meant putting In Our Wilderness on pause for a while.

I still remember the excitement I felt from sending my first order - which is to a friend, to slowly sending more day by day.

Honestly, I was really sad about it. Especially because at that time, I was starting to get more orders and more people were beginning to discover In Our Wilderness. Having to step away from something I had just started building was not easy. But hey, I never knew that God had planned greater opportunities for me.

The Life in Melbourne, Australia

A little over a year into my studies in Australia, I came across an application for an art market and thought, β€œYou know what? Let me just try.” I didn’t expect much, especially since I had stopped working on In Our Wilderness for over a year.

But somehow, I got in! 

That one opportunity brought In Our Wilderness back to life. From there, I started joining more art markets around Australia, meeting new customers, connecting with other artists, and slowly rebuilding my little brand in a completely new place. Looking back, it still feels a little crazy, something I started in my little room back home was now being brought to markets all the way in Australia.

From one little character and a few stickers, In Our Wilderness slowly grew into more characters, keychains, pins, pouches, tapes, and more.

Some photos from my markets in Australia, and even Singapore! I did most of my Australian markets on my own, pushing two big suitcases ( yes, they're HEAVY) , loading everything in and out, and running the booth myself.

Graduated, part time job, and more

After graduating from university in 2023, I was given the opportunity to stay in Melbourne for another two years. Those two years were a whole different chapter of their own. I was looking for jobs, gaining new experiences, trying to figure out what I wanted to do next, and joining art markets whenever I could. And let me tell you... looking for a job as a fresh graduate in Australia was HARD. I had very little experience, and after four months of searching, I found myself jobless and slowly going a little insane hahaha. Until one day, I finally got my first retail job in...

DRUMROLL PLEASEEEE...POP MART! Hahahahaha.

Yes guys, I worked at POP MART as a retail worker!And honestly, that job became a really important part of my In Our Wilderness journey. I used most of what I earned from that part-time job to fund my business, making new products, ordering samples, producing stock, and slowly growing In Our Wilderness on my own.

I got to learn so much and gain so many new experiences here. I was also so blessed to have the best coworkers ever, who eventually became some of my closest friends. I miss them so much.

Closing the Melbourne Chapter

my routine to walk around with a Molly in hand -- Things packed ready to go home --Letters from my friends before I leave -- the last Aussie's sunrise from the plane

And then, just like that, April 2026 came around, and my journey in Australia came to an end.

Was I sad? Very. Was I scared? Definitely.

I had made so many good friends there, and I miss them incredibly. I’ll miss being able to walk around the city and go almost everywhere without a car, and of course, being able to join art markets back-to-back in Australia. As sad and scary as it was to leave, I believe going home wasn't the end of the journey. I believe God has prepared new plans and opportunities for me, even if I don't know what they are yet.

Hello, Indonesia

And now, I'm back home in Malang, which means things are a little different hahaha. Most art markets are based in Jakarta, so joining one means I have to travel. 

Sometimes I look at an 8-hour train ride and think, β€œDo I really want to do this?” Hahaha. But I know I have to put myself and my art out there if I want In Our Wilderness to grow.

So far, I've only joined one art market in Indonesia, at Meet Things Room. Hopefully, next year I'll be able to join more, meet more of you, and grow this little business into something bigger.

And hopefully, plane tickets will be cheaper.....please..

I don't know where this journey will take me next, but I'm excited to find out. I hope I can continue creating things that make people happy and sharing little bits of joy through my art. I truly wouldn't be where I am today without the love and support of my family and friends. I don't think I could have kept going without them, and I'm so grateful to have had them by my side throughout this journey.

And if you've made it all the way to the end of this very long story... thank you! Hahaha. Thank you for being here and supporting my little business. β™‘

I hope you'll stick around, because I have a feeling this is only the beginning.

Love,
Vania
In Our Wilderness