All Over Albany

Sweet Peas in Delmar

No, Sweet Peas is not a farm stand.

It's a place to go if you're looking for a cool antique dresser or a pair of locally made earrings.

They don't sound like things you'd shop for in the same store, but this new-ish shop in Delmar may be the place to find both.

Sweet Peas opened across the street from the Bethlehem YMCA in February. The consignment shop combines gently-used and antique house furnishings with locally made soaps, jewelry, and other gift items. Just don't look for second-hand clothing here. Sweet Peas is almost strictly housewares, although there's also a small book selection.

There's a wide range of prices. This cute settee in a beige and green pattern is $200, while the throw pillows on it ranged from $4 - $8. I liked the way it was arranged - it definitely made me want to plop down with a cup of tea and a good book. I thought the little vintage framed picture of a girl for $9 might look nice on the end table next to it.

Cool dishes are definitely one of my downfalls. I'm trying really hard not to cram my already overfilled cupboards, but this set of Japanese tea cups and saucers (set of six for $20) were difficult to resist.

The set of nine lusterware plates for $16 were also quite tempting.

Some items are definitely more on the splurge side, like the $80 chandelier. I'm not really sure whether that's a good deal for a chandelier or not, but it certainly was pretty, you know, if you need a chandelier. Sweet Peas also has quite a bit of furniture, including several nice antique dressers that were there when I stopped in recently. I really liked the mahogany dresser and mirror combo for $150, as well as the set of four oak back chairs with paisley seats for $135.

I like the store's emphasis on conservation, as evidenced by the logo on the store's sign, "Shop, Recycle and Conserve."The site also stresses the store's eco-friendly themes. Owner Debra Bamberger says her interest in reusing and recycling things was one part of what prompted her to open the shop. Her love of decorating was another.

You can definitely see Bamberger's flair for decor in the store, which is arranged very tastefully and neatly. It reminded me a lot of Martha Stewart "Living" in the best way possible. Rather than being stuffy or cluttered like some antique or vintage stores, it's just a comfortable, clean place. I really appreciated some of the small touches, such as the container of dog biscuits by the register with a little handwritten "for your pooch" note. I'll definitely be back in soon.

And for those interested in selling, not buying, consignments are done by appointment and consignees get 50 percent of the sale price of items under $500. More information is available on the store's Web site .