10 Things I Can’t Live Without: Emily of Material Girls

Thank you to all of the talented bloggers and wonderful readers who have made the “10 Things I Can’t Live Without” series such a success! I know that I certainly enjoy seeing what some of my favorite bloggers consider to be their “must-have” items. Today, we have the lovely Emily Johnston, founder of the popular Material Girls blog and principal of EJ Interiors, based out of Dallas. With her keen eye for style and charming and approachable personality, it’s no wonder that so many people love her!

1) OJ

Every morning before heading out for the day, I drink a teacup filled with orange juice with my breakfast. I have never been a coffee drinker (or a morning person) so orange juice is the next best thing to get me going in the A.M.! I drink it out of a small, old teacup with no handle and think of it as my "faux coffee". I would love to get this black and white monogrammed mug (above) from Anthro for my daily OJ drinking habits. It's cute and best of all, it has a nice, functioning handle!

2) Weekly Planner

I LIVE by my Silver Lining Weekly Planner and anyone who knows me, is already aware that I am very planner-obsessed. Each December, I go to Barnes & Noble to pick up the same planner refills to start prepping my planner for the next year. Sadly, it is something I look forward to every year (I even map out my haircuts for the next twelve months!) Oy. I know, a little obsessive, but since I have the worst memory in the world, the best way for me to keep organized is by writing everything down. Then, when December rolls around again, I retire the past year's planner into a "planner archives" in my file cabinet. (hey, you just never know when you might need to pull them out for reference! ;)

 

3) My Family and Friends

Family and friends mean the world to me. I come from a pretty big extended family (most all who live in Dallas) and I can't imagine my life without them. My core group of friends in Dallas are girls I've known since high school and we try to get together for BYOD's (Bring Your Own Dinners) as often as we can. And of course my life wouldn't be the same without my boyfriend and best friend, Ben, who can always make me laugh and supports me in everything that I do.

 

4) Robes

I usually work weekdays on and off from about 8:30 AM to 1 AM the next morning, so comfort is key when I'm working after-hours. I usually come home from my work errands around dinnertime and immediately get into my pajamas and robe to start my work on the computer. Robes, believe it or not, are my favorite piece of clothing! I collect them so I have different types for different seasons. For winter, I have a few fleece ones and for summer I have terry cloth. My latest (and most favorite) is a robe that I got for Christmas. It's the Lacoste "Smash" Hooded Robe in white terrycloth. I'm actually wearing it right now- imagine that!

 

5) Jazzercise

Ok, I admit it- I'm a frequent Jazzerciser! I know what you are thinking- leotards, sweatbands, and leg warmers. But it couldn't be further from that! I promise the classes are not like THIS anymore (although it would be pretty funny if they were!) I try to go a few times a week to dance around and relieve some stress! I even brought my boyfriend to "Sweathearts Day" on Valentine's a few weeks ago (but don't tell him I told you that!)

 

6) EJ Interiors/Material Girls

I started my own interior design business, EJ Interiors, about three years ago on a whim. At about the same time, I started the Material Girls blog and never thought either would really turn into anything. I am so glad I followed my dreams and can't imagine doing anything else but interior design for the rest of my life! It's a hobby, a passion, and a profession, and I am so very grateful for the opportunities that have come from it.

 

7) Fresh Cookies

I get serious cravings for chocolate chip and M&M cookies so I keep Tiff's Treats, in downtown Dallas, practically on speed dial! They make their cookies from scratch every day and they are available for pick up (or delivery) right out of the oven. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

 

8) Fabrics and Wallpaper

Oh how I love fabrics and wallpaper! They are what I most look forward to picking out when working on a project. The possibilities are endless with them and they can really make or break a room.

 

9) Hand Soap

I keep a nice smelling hand soap next to every sink in my home. Currently I have Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Lavender Vanilla "Sleep" soap in my bathroom and it smells great! (I am also hoping that some of the "sleep" ingredient in it will start to rub off on me!)

 

10) The Movie Grill

I'm not big on watching TV, but I love a good movie; however, the showtimes always coincide with my dinner plans (or I'm already asleep by the late showing) so that is why I prefer going to the movie grill. You can eat dinner, drink a glass of wine, and watch a movie all at once. The food and service aren't the best, I'll admit, but somehow the wine and leather chairs keep me coming back!