Started from the Bottom now we're.. at The People's Thrift!

Started from the bottom [drawer] now we're here!!! Since our soft launch in August 2013, we've been quietly collecting new threads, shoes, and accessories for the upcoming season. We've received several donations and sought new items to add to The Peoples Thrift online shop: from the top of the closet to the bottom drawer. The People's Thrift will be releasing new selections to help you Sustain Your Fly (TM) all winter long.

What's The Peoples Thrift?

If you're new to Humbly, Peax & Love, or have yet to hear of us, The People's Thrift is an online and pop-up VINTAGE & thrift store made by the people, for the people. Many clothes are donated by HPNL members, clients of RAW! Inc. who have lost weight due to their healthier lifestyle, and some pieces are just straight up scavenged. 

Affordable! Sustainable! Classic! and

Always Fly!

No thread is wasted; perhaps re-purposed.

We've been working exceptionally hard on this project and even put together this brief commercial for your viewing pleasure :)

Check it out!

LEND A HELPING HAND

As we continue to grow in this social endeavor we NEED YOUR HELP. Humbly, Peax and Love has created this awesome integrative healing arts network to keep moral support and revenue circulating throughout our artistic community. Well, The People's Thrift is CALLING ALL ARTISTS [I repeat CALLING ALL ARTISTS] to pose and be pictured in new apparel for the online site. We're looking to shoot at the beginning of January 2014. 

If you are interested in assisting with modeling, sewing & seaming, styling, and/or photographing or video recording this fashion shoot please email all inquiries to peoplesthrift@hpnl.net

 Visit the Site & Follow Us:

@ThePeoplesThrift

www.facebook.com/ThePeoplesThrift

www.ThePeopleThrift.com
www.YouTube.com/PeaxNLove

Peace!

The Artist Corner: Introducing Dreya

Hey Peaceful Lovers! It's been a while, but here is 4th installment of 'The Artist Corner' where we shine the spotlight on various artistic members [up and coming & established] within the Humbly, Peax & Love community. After all, the Earth without ART is just 'Eh'...
 

Today is all about a woman in transition that we are GREATLY inspired by. Introducing Dreya..

HPNL: Who is Dreya? What are your values and passions?

Dreya: Dreya is an driven, independent, vivacious and ambitious young woman that has been through much that has molded her into who she is today. The battles that I've come up against I've turned into positives stepping stones because I'm able to voice my pain, hurt and heavy load through my outlet of expression called poetry.

HPNL: How do you define yourself as an Artist??

Dreya: Multiple! All around I'm an creative individual. Besides poetry, I've evolved into a freelance graphic designer, fitness coach with Beachbody and I'm interested in becoming a personal trainer. My poetry and graphic designing are my biggest artistic areas. I've been writing poetry since I was twelve and graphic design I graduated with my Bachelors in Graphic Design in 2011 - plus it's fun to do for myself. 

HPNL: We also hear you are writing a book, tell us about this!

Dreya: My book is my baby. I've been working on my book for almost three years come December. It's my story and my poetry combined. I wanted to have the platform to tell my story in my own words and be real. I wanted my experience to be felt even if it's dark times because that's life. It's the dark times that created who I am. I'm currently in editing life pushing to publish next year, 2014 - God willing!!!!! I'm very excited.

HPNL: Who are your biggest inspirations?

Dreya: I'm a family oriented person, so before anybody my grandmother is my #1 inspiration because of her love for Jesus Christ, her smile that never leaves her face, and her spirit. That's my heart and she's been supportive from day one, regardless what I wanted to pursue she said "as long as you're happy, pursue it. "

HPNL: Family support is always a plus. Where can we follow your journey and see samples of your work?

Dreya: Well I've just launched my website: www.dreyais.com 

I'm on IG: DreyaIs 

Twitter: Dreya_Da_Diva 

Facebook: Dreya (Brand page) 

YouTube: DreyaDaDiva

HPNL: We have been following your weight loss journey. How did your transition begin?

Dreya: My weight loss began in May 2012 when I was told by my doctor I weighed 300 pounds. That stung deeply and I just kept it real with myself. I wasn't in love with my physical and it was beginning to effect all areas of my life! So I made it a decision to take back my life. I'm now at 240!

HPNL: What was your diet like BEFORE your transition?

Dreya:  My diet prior to my transition was all over the place! I didn't really eat breakfast, I didn't care about how late I ate dinner. I didn't watch what I was eating, so if I wanted to eat Oreos, I ate how many I pleased.  Now I know that foods like Oreos  must be in moderation, like prior to working out so that you burn it off during your routine.

HPNL: What kind of diet nourishes your spirit NOW?

Dreya: Wow good question. I'm into fruits and vegetables heavy. I love feeling light and being able to feel free. I love sweet potatoes, string beans, collard greens, strawberries lol the list could go on but if it makes me feel good...I'm for it!

HPNL: How do you juggle all of your responsibilities and goals? What keeps Dreya focused and on track?

Dreya: I understand I have the power to impact lives, I understand that God has given me a vision and HE has given me these talents to do more than just what meets the eye. People are going through depression and struggling with weight loss, I've been depressed and obesity is what I'm apart of but I've figured out how to get past both. It's a blessing and in that it keeps me going! I'm stronger than my excuses and progression is highly important to me so that keeps me on track! 

HPNL: So, What encouraged you to join the Humbly, Peax & Love community?

Dreya: I liked what I saw and I knew it was a place of growth and positivity - Which are both part of life and success. It attracted me so here I am!  

HPNL: What else can we expect from Dreya in the future? What are your other ambitions?

Dreya: Dreya is in high gear, I'm looking to build my FIT CLUB, push my website, gain clientele for my freelance work and help people fight obesity! Having my own t-shirts and more is in the works. I've also been recommended to get into modeling so I'm preparing for that as well. There's nothing I can't do, so I'm doing it ALL. I will break barriers and push towards success.

HPNL: Any advice for our readers, writers, or those looking to lose weight?

Dreya: DREAM BIG!!!! Don't allow negativity to slow you down or interfere with what you are doing. When you stay within your own lane, it helps you stay focused. Don't compare yourself to anybody and move at a steady pace. Learn from your failures and practice those weaknesses so they become your strengths. Be ahead of the game because there's always someone waiting for you to slip. Be blessed, follow me and do what you love 

 - Dreya <3

____________________________________________

What a beautiful transition! Thank you for choosing to be a part of the Humbly, Peax & Love community Dreya. We stand beside you in support of all you do. You will continue to inspire many!

Show her love everyone and be sure to follow her journey!

Autumn Equinox 2013

Happy Equinox!

 

The seasons are changing and so are we! Today is the OFFICIAL first day of Fall and the energy is super high!

Just as Mother Nature sheds her leaves, changes colors, and bears new fruit, we too should initiate a similar change in order to release those things that no longer serve us. Clean the house, welcome new seasonal fruits and veggies, but most importantly take time to cleanse YOU!

 

Last week, we had a Clean-a-thon. I’m talking we emptied the corners, cracks, and crevices of EVERYTHING! Even donated a few bags of clothes to Humbly, Peax & Love's own- The People’s Thrift. Click the link if you have articles of clothing you’re anxious to do away with.

 

Since the big clean-up, more opportunities have already begun greeting us. Our creative space feels like new. The clarity and balance have not faded, but in fact been enhanced. So now that the outside is tidy, we must take action towards the internal clutter. We like to approach this seasonally with a full body detox. If you are local to the DMV, check out the ladies of RAW! Inc. They are running a 5 Day Seasonal Autumn Equinox Detox, plus they deliver!

 

Your form of cleansing may differ from ours. Juice cleanse, wash your hair, trim your ends, take a god/goddess bath full of herbs/aromatherapy/candles, dance, or whatever is your preferred form of release. Celebrate yourself!

So, what is an Equinox anyways?

There are 2 equinox's each year, the one marking the astrological beginning of spring and the other the ending of summer.

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night" and is used to denote the time of year when the length of darkness is roughly the same as the length of daylight in a day. The equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator. 

Day and night were thought to be in balance hence the balancing scales in the astrological sign of Libra, observed from September 23 to October 23 each year. After the equinox, the length of each day will get shorter and shorter and night will get longer and longer until the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is thought to have been "born again".  From there, the days get longer and longer, while the cycle continues to repeat itself.

The earliest humans spent more time outside than we do today. They used the sky as both clock and calendar. They could easily see that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shift in a regular way throughout the year. 

 

  

FUN EQUINOX FACTS

1. This year, the Autumn Equinox Falls on September 22, 2013.

2. The autumnal equinox and vernal (spring) equinox are also the only days of the year when a person standing on the Equator can see the sun passing directly overhead.

3. On the Northern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

4. On the same day, a person at the South Pole would also see the sun skim the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight.

5. The term equinox comes from the Latin word equinoxium, meaning "equality between day and night."

6. Our ancestors built the first observatories to track the sun’s progress. One example is at Machu Picchu in Peru, where the Intihuatana stone has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial periods. The word Intihuatana literally means ‘ for tying the sun .’

7. THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF NEW FRUITS AND VEGGIES AVAILABLE!

 

 

Here's a some fun facts about one of our seasonal favorites - PUMPKIN.

• Technically a fruit, this seasonal and holiday treat is a super food!
• We only deal with heirloom varieties of pumpkin which are indigenous and a staple in Native American diet and culture.
• Pumpkin juice is beneficial to the bladder and kidneys and full of antioxidants, potassium, natural sodium, zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin increases the body’s natural insulin making it beneficial for diabetics.
• Pumpkin is an anti-inflammatory and shrinks the prostate making it a great addition for men.

 

There is an ABUNDANCE of other seasonal deliciousness, such as apples, pears, squash, beets, persimmon, collards, cabbage, green beans.... sheesh, the list goes ON!

 

Many medical experts and researchers are preparing you for Winter’s sadness and seasonal depressions due to the end of Summer’s brightness, warmth, and activities. Well, we are here to tell you otherwise. You are abundance! You are warmth and brightness! You light up every room you enter! You are a healthier you for this season and all to come!

You’ve planted many seeds - watered, pushed, pulled, and waited patiently - you will collect your harvest and all of its abundance. What you reap depends on what you’ve sewn - you all know that universal law.. The copiousness, richness and flow will come in various forms for all of us. There's is one thing though. As we collect we must let go of something (s).  Remain open to receiving, without being resistant to change.

Once again, Happy Autumn Equinox!

 



Humbly, Peax & Love Presents...The People's Thrift

 So, 2013 has been pretty live. We want to show our appreciation to Dominique Papillion who has been holding us down with her Mindful Mommy Monday installation while we work behind the scenes on HPNL community projects. You are appreciated! Teamwork truly does make the dream work.

 

Anywho, we have been tossing the idea around for a little over a year now, but it's finally here.

 

8.5.13

We are launching..

 

 The People's Thrift is a developing project within the Humbly, Peax & Love community. It is an online and pop-up Vintage & Thrift store made by the people, for the people. Many clothes are donated by HPNL members as well as clients of RAW! on Wheels who have lost weight due to their new healthy lifestyle.

 

No thread is wasted; perhaps repurposed.

 

 

All proceeds aid in the continuance of Humbly, Peax & Love community outreach programs, events, and to support our ever increasing members.
 
Special Thanks to Brooke Jay for photographing and designing the online store.
And much appreciation to all the models and fellow members that continue to make this possible.
We're a team!

Do you have a cause you would like help funding via The People's Thrift?
 

Are you a Seamstress?

 

Are you interested in modeling?

 

Would you just like to be part? 

 Please email outreach@hpnl.net to get started!

  Be sure to follow us:

Instagram: @ThePeoplesThrift

Facebook: The People's Thrift

 

 

 



42 Days of GRATITUDE and ABUNDANCE

*Excerpts taken from The Abounding River - An Unfamiliar View of Being Abundance by Matthew and Terces Engelhart*

 

"Abundance can be had by simply consciously receiving what has already been given." - Sufi saying

 

Johnee' and I have just returned from a 30+ Day cross-country RAW! Healing Quest, and have nothing but GRATITUDE from the whole experience. We reached about 14% of our fundraiser goal but decided to trust that we would be provided for by the Universe and begin the journey anyways. We charged no one for our services and spent a large chunk of our savings to be able to share the experience. I am taken back by the kindness of people and the willingness to let internet strangers into their homes - to share their experiences, knowledge, skills, and resources. From that, we feel FULL. We feel ABUNDANCE.

 

In Kansas City we ran upon a Café Gratitude where we heard the miraculous stories of the founders and decided to leave with some literature - 'The Abounding River' which inspired, and is the basis for our 42 days of Gratitude and Abundance.

We will harnessing our 42 days throughout 

~June 3 - July 15~

 

"Faith begins with an experiment and ends with an experience." - W.R. Inge
 

 "..sense of scarcity is systematic. In our being, it rarely occurs like a choice or a belief we persistently hold fast or assent to consciously. In this book we take the position that our scarcity tale is inherited, practiced and fueled by widespread agreement....Abundance, living assurance of being provided for, is our Divine inheritance and the only proof is in the declaring and living of it... Being Abundance, being that we are provided for requires that we relinquish what we know and what makes sense to us.

This is our experiment... to declare a world of plenty and then surrender to the assurance of all those things added. This is the essence of what we give our life to and this book is an expression of who we've been called to be."

 

"All you are unable to give, possesses you." - Andre Gide

 

Journey with us as we discuss perception, gratitude, abundance, fear, relationships with money, affirmations, and more!

 

Be sure to follow the discussions and daily lessons on the Humbly, Peax & Love Facebook Page and of course stay tuned to the blog! We at RAW! will also be participating and spreading this time of Gratitude. We predict this will be a very enlightening process for all.

Peace, Love, and Wellness <3

-Brooke & Johnee'
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Brooke Johnson and Johnee' Wilson are the creative forces behind RAW! Inc., a DMV based raw food catering and delivery service and active Humbly, Peax & Love representatives
 

RAW! Inc. offers Meal Plans, Juice Detoxes, Raw Food Coaching, Catering, Food Demos, and even private yoga instruction! For more info, visit www.RAWexclamation.com 

Progress is Everyone's Business

 

Autumn is here and change is in the air. Everyone is feeling it.

 

While sitting on the floor - vision boarding for the new season, a certain scrap piece caught my eye. It simply read, 'Progress Is Everyone's Business.'

 

Now, I didn't interpret this in a bragging manner but rather that we can't truly progress without EVERYONE progressing. It's everyone's business to succeed and progress, contrary to the common belief in this society. So, how to we help to make sure everyone is progressive?

 

Investing in the Community

Every time you spend money, you are taking a vote on the kind of world you desire. Where are you investing?

 

The question reminds me of a conversation I had with Mr. Nate, owner of Dynamic Wellness (402 H St NE DC) about an organization he once belonged to - Recycling Black Dollars. Instead of giving their money (or power) away to greedy corporations, they chose to re-invest their money into each other and the black community.

 

I'd like to reinstate that notion, but dissolve any color lines. Why can't we keep resources IN the community of people who uphold the community? Why not put our resources together to create something bigger and better for EVERYONE?

 

Buy Land. Grow Your Own Food. Barter & Trade. Create Housing. Home School - or better yet, Community School. ANYTHING is possible when we work together.

This is precisely why Humbly, Peax & Love was created.

 

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." - Buckminster Fuller 

 

Responsibility of Success
 

Success holds great responsibility. You then have the conscious duty to teach others, support others, and be a guide for those that have eyes to see and ears to hear.

 

This past weekend, we assisted Khepra, owner of Khepra's Raw Food & Juice bar (402 H St. NE DC - yep, at Dynamic Wellness with Mr. Nate! That's working together! www.kheprarawbar.com) at the Green Festival DC. In turn, we set up our hemp & bamboo t-shirts to raise money and spread Humbly, Peax & Love awareness. Bartering at it's best!

 

We consider Khepra to be a mentor and a prime example of responsibility with success. He buys organic produce and also uses compostable plastic for serving food. He offers much advice from his raw food journeys and experiences that guide us through our own. He provides a positive work environment for young people while opening them up to healthy, living foods. Khepra is definitely a bright light in the dark - helping to spread health awareness.

Never forget, the ultimate goal is to help others. After all, we have not found success until the people around us have as well. Share your knowledge, thoughts, experiences, ideas, talents, and trades with one another. Co-operate rather than compete.

 

"A corporation has no conscience, but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation with a conscious." - Henry Thoreau



Expansion: Non-Profit Efforts

As our numbers grow, we realize we need more resources to be able to help in the capacity we envision. So, for the remainder of the 2012 year, we will be developing Humbly, Peax & Love into a 501(c)3 community organization.

Yay!

We aim to provide a barter-trade database, community classes, programs, work-studies, jobs, food giveaways, clothing swaps & giveaways, affordable holistic services, community gardening, greenhouse projects, land development & more.

We wish to give an example of a different way of living; one of true community.

PROGRESS IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS.

If interested in assisting with our transition, please email volunteers@hpnl.net.
Not yet a member, Join Us! Membership is FREE!