trip to ikea = MUCHO inspiration!!!

i'm giving a brunch this weekend, and i'm a little bit nervous...

...not because i can't cook, or i don't think i can pull off some delicious dish that my friends will think are yummy, cause i've got that covered. i'm making a smitten kitchen (unofficially) sponsored brunch, creating in multiple some of her delicious brunch recipes for my friends (if you haven't seen the blog yet, click it, and you'll thank me later, i promise!!)

i'm nervous because i don't know what i'm going to put all this delicious foon ON. as a young unmarried adult, i haven't received all those vital entertaining pieces for my kitchen that you're just SUPPOSED to have when you offer to host a brunch.

Q: so what do you do when you find yourself without serving pieces in a pinch??
A: you travel across the freeway to your neighborhood IKEA!!!!! and i did!

so what did i get, you may ask?! well i'm gonna show you!
first, i borrowed this lovely oven safe baking dish (it's different cause it has no handles on it, and for me, that makes it a little more oven-to-table ready) for my version of smittenkitchen's boozy french toast.
then, i found something to display the zucchini bread and blueberry boy bait...this lovely SMARTA serving dish. and with a $8 price tag, i couldn't resist (and i got so many compliments on it! go figure!
(i was also considering this pie plate, but i was trying to stay on budget a little bit...)
then i'm making a simple fruit salad and putting that in a stainless steel bowl i already have, and making smitten kitchen's white bean red pepper dip, and putting that in my mom's vintage ceramic veggie tray (i'll post a pic later...i'm OBSESSED), making cold press coffee, and spiked watermelon lemonade, and i'm done!
christy's bringing mimosas and pitchers AND all her wonderful stella and dot jewelry, so it should be a BLAST!!

i did some biodegradable plates from solo and some different napkins from IKEA...for 50 FANTASTISK cocktail napkins in a pack (in medium green) for $1.49 (on special) and 30 VARSE dinner napkins in a pack (in that light summery blue) for $2.49, how could i resist!! (and i didn't have to do too many dishes!!!)

this is my version of a delicious and pretty easy brunch to pull off! i hope you enjoy the sharing, and get out there and do some delicious cooking! (AND hosting!!!)

(and i'll try to post some pics of the event for your viewing pleasure!!!)