ragamuffin loves...getting creative!

One of our very favourite activities at ragamuffin is creating the gorgeous displays that adorn the two shops! Every member of staff - from the longest serving to our very newest team member - has input into our colourful combinations!

We love to use colour in a creative way and put unusual colours together - sometimes clashing sometimes toning. Visitors to the shop always admire our displays - some liken them to gallery installations which makes us beam!

It is such a useful way to highlight our layering of clothes to achieve the popular "lagenlook", and a fantastic way to draw attention to all of our wonderful scarves, corsages and hats!

Just when we thought we'd used every colour combination imaginable, someone creates a fab new combo...grey, purple and natural is cool and sophisticated! We love to use texture and pattern to create interest - here fabrics range from heavy linen to gauzy silk, using fabrics in polkadots, stripes, checks and plain - throw on a floral scarf and we have some truly unique outfits!

We always offer a few well chosen gifts - these lovely long-legged coos and sheepy kitchenalia look cute atop our rails! The trick at ragamuffin is to keep looking up - you never know what you'll spot!
We are always delighted to put together unique outfits for our customers - just let us know if you want us to turn you into a walking work of art!

ragamuffin loves...tea parties

We are having a tea party today so hope you can make it to share these lovely cup cakes with us.

ragamuffin loves...accessories

I hope you have enjoyed our little tour of Skye this week, we have only managed to touch the surface here with many more things do do and see, so come and see for yourself and don't forget to visit ragamuffin. We have put together our top 5 favourite accessory combos from our new collections just to give you a taster of what you can find when you pop in.

1. Breege Walsh hat and wristlets teamed with Snowbelt scarf and Ragamuffin corsage. Breege used to work for ragamuffin but she left to create these beautiful hand finished accessories, always a best seller for us. We keep ourselves busy in the winter making these funky corsages, every one is different.



2. MTM hat, Quintessential scarf and Aurea Vita wristlets. We have a great collection of these french hats most of which have that 1920s style. Quintessential are a long time suppler and we always have a great selection of scarves. Aurea Vita is brand new in with a great collection of garments too.



3. Branigan Weavers snood and Fabulous Felt corsage.  Branigan Weavers are an Irish company so keep cosy and warm in this snood and jazz is up with a corsage like this Fab Felt one.

                               

                                  

4. Studio Donegal Beanie teamed with Gilbert Wilson snood and gauntlets.  Beanies made of tweed give a classy style especially with these fair isle snood and gauntles for that scottish feel. The beautiful ring adds just that little something and  is made by our very own Karolina who works in the Edinburgh shop.

5. Sophies Wild Woollens hat and wristlets teamed with Lettuce scarf and another amazing rags corsage.  Sophies is colourful and practical made from felted wool together with a bright Lettuce scarf  to brighten up your outfits.

ragamuffin loves...things to do on a rainy day

If you are lucky enough to have lovely sunny or even dry weather on Skye then outside is where you need to be, however it is not nicknamed the Misty Isle for nothing and unfortunately it does rain here maybe a little more than we would like. Here are some interesting museums you could visit.


1. The Clan Donald Skye - Museum of the Isles, Armadale. The  history of the Highlands and Islands through the story of Clan Donald takes you through 1500 years of the history and culture of the area once known as the Kingdom of the Isles. It also has a genealogical resources in the library, which is housed in the Museum, if you wish to look up your ansestors. http://www.clandonald.com/

2. The Skye Museum of Island Life, Kilmuir - The museum opened in 1965 with the aim to preserve a township of thatched cottages.  The cottages depict how people lived in the highlands at the close of the 19th century. http://www.skyemuseum.co.uk/

3. Staffin Museum, Staffin - Skye is extremely well known to geologists for its ancient rock formations and Staffin museum has an excellent collection of local geoloical and fossil specimens for you to see.  The museums is open by oppointment so please contact them on 01470 562 321.  http://borve.net/staffin-museum.co.uk/

4. Giant MacAskill Museum, Dunvegan - Angus MacAskill was a scottish giant, and is the world's largest "true" giant. The 1981 Guinness Book of World Records posits Angus as the tallest "natural" giant in recorded history, and possibly as a result the strongest man in recorded history. Pop along and see for yourself.

5. Glendale Toy Museum, Glendale - The museum contains a fascinating collection of toys, games and dolls from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Great fun for young and old alike!  http://www.glendaleskye.com/

ragamuffin loves......shopping

There are some other fabulous shopping opportunities in and a round Armadale, from pocket money gifts, leather handbags and pottery to paintings and pictures of Skye.

Grumpy George has some stunning photographs taken around Skye and also does pet portraits. http://www.grumpygeorge.co.uk/

The Bay Pottery just along the road has some fabulous handcrafted pottery. http://www.baypottery.co.uk/

Heart of highland leather for all your leather needs, handbags, belts, sheepskin rugs, slippers, the list goes on! http://www.heartofhighlandleather.co.uk/

Nigel Grounds is one of Scotland's foremost landscape artists, oil paintings of the west coast of Scotland. http://www.nigelgrounds.co.uk/about.html

The Clan Donald shop for Scottish gifts, shortbread, jewellery, potted preserves and much much more.

http://www.clandonald.com/

ragamuffin loves... eating out!

Here are our top 5 places to eat from Michelin Star restaurants to bijou cafes.  All are situated on the sleat peninsula, known as the garden of Skye and home of ragamuffin, with the exception of one special restaurant, The Three Chimneys.

                                   

1. The Kinloch Lodge - Michelin star restaurant and home of award winning cook and food writer Claire MacDonald. Famous for its outstanding food you can enjoy lunch, a beautiful afternoon tea or dinner. http://www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk/



2. Eilean Iarmain Hotel - Situated on a sheltered bay, with expansive views over the Sound of Sleat to the hills of Knoydart on the mainland. The hotel has a restaurant offering excellent a la carte dining, and a well-stocked bar which serves a particularly good selection of malt whiskies and local real ale for those enthusiasts to sample. It also has a bar menu for lunch and dinner. http://www.eilean-iarmain.co.uk/

         

                                    

3. The Stables restaurant - Part of the Clan Donald Skye and Armadale castle.  From April to October the restaurant is open 7 days a week, serving everything from fresh home baking to hearty lunches. On Mondays to Saturdays it is open until 9pm for delicious and reasonably priced evening meals. Sunday lunches are a highlight of the weekend, with a selection of succulent roasts and tasty puddings. http://www.clandonald.com/



                                                    

4. The Shed - We mentioned the shed yesterday, its a beautiful bijou cafe with views over the sound of Sleat, you can also watch the ferry from mallaig coming in. Open from 10am-5pm it offers coffee, snacks, salads and a lovely seafood menu.

5. The Three Chimneys - This is our exception, listed in the Sunday Times "Top 200 UK Restaurants 2012" as 26th in the UK and 4th in Scotland, the restaurant's popularity places it high above many with a Michelin star.  The food at The Three Chimneys is what it is most famous for but it is also situated in a stunning location on the edge of the sea by Loch Dunvegan, north Skye. http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/



Well husbands if you don't feel like joining your wives while they shop here at ragamuffin, we do have a range of mens clothing too, here are our top 4 ideas to entertain yourself in Armadale.


1. Why not enjoy a lovely coffee or a cold drink, if the day is as beautiful as it is today, while reading the paper at The Shed cafe just opposite ragamuffin.

2. Seafari shop at the end of the pier sells fishing gear, so why not pop in and try a spot of fishing of the pier. http://www.seafari.co.uk/

3. You could pop in and see grumpy george and his parrots and have a chat with them about photography.
http://grumpygeorge.co.uk/

4. Heart of Highland Leather also at the end of the pier for a browse. He can do alterations to belts etc while you wait. http://www.heartofhighlandleather.co.uk/