hosting made simple

So I have a tendency to be a bit overly ambitious when it comes to hosting parties.  I get all Martha Stewart on myself wanting to hand-craft everything from the invites to the decor to the cocktails to the snacks to the dessert. 

Time and time again, I've attempted such a soiree and the result is always the same:
I am scrambling around madly trying to finish everything before guests arrive,
I never do and end up spending the duration of my party in the kitchen (and begging my guests to assist),
and then everything turns out - well - mediocre. 
And you know how I feel about mediocrity: it sucks.

For my Stella & Dot trunk show, I decided to wave the white flag and do everything as easy as possible, with just a touch of homemade.

First, the invites:
Rather than hand-design and hand-make custom invites, I opted for one of Paperless Post's free varieties. 

Much cuter than I could have ever crafted

Then, the drinks:
I opted for just simple red and white wine with a few non-alcoholic options (limeade, iced tea, lemon-infused water).  No fancy cocktails here.

Next, the snacks:

 

Because my guestlist included a bunch of health-conscious babes, I did a big vegetable platter (all store-bought, pre-cut, already-washed varieties) complete with my signature dip (1 container of fat-free greek yogurt + a packet of ranch seasoning - you can eat the WHOLE thing and it's only 100 calories).

 

For my more savory snack, I took it up a notch yet still keeping it simple.  I bought a bunch of fresh baguettes, sliced them into extra-thin slices, tossed them with a bit of olive oil and salt, and toasted them in the oven until just on the verge of turning brown.

 

I let my fresh crostinis cool and then topped them with one of two super easy to assemble combinations.

One: crisp, crunchy fuji apple paired with creamy, buttery brie

Two: smooth, velvety ricotta topped with fresh figs and honey

I labeled them on our chalkboard cheese board

to make them extra special

Then last but not least - dessert:
Stefan stayed out of the apartment until later in the evening, arriving home right as it was time to quench everyone's sweet tooth.  Being the wonderful husband that he is, he happily picked up a tray of mini-pumpkin-spice cupcakes to pass around to the group.
"Wow, these are SO good," guests raved. "Did KK make these?"
Knowing that I am the type of person who would attempt such a thing, he replied: "Yes, yes - she did!"

Little did all my guests know that these little munchkins were not homemade, nor were they scored from one of San Francisco's plethora of cupcake shops which charge $4 a pop - all 24 of these little guys were purchased for a grand total of $1.99 at none other than Target. 

What are your go-to hosting secrets for making any soiree swoon-worthy without the stress?

xoxo
KK