While we don’t hate on anyone for doing things a little out of the ordinary, it’s hard to argue that there are some hobbies out there that are just a little…strange.
Taxidermy
In a list of strange hobbies, how could we not mention taxidermy?
Taxidermy is the professional “stuffing” and preserving of animals to keep and present in various positions to keep the memory of the animal alive.
One of the most renowned Taxidermists today is Enrique Gomez de Molina. Here is one of his many off-putting, unique creations:
Special Effects Monster Make-Up
Our next strange hobby is special effects and monster make-up artists.
The creations that these artists produce has gotten fairly elaborate and realistic over the last several years.
Furthermore, with artists now being able to share their work through platforms like Youtube and Instagram, we all get the opportunity to view their strange and impressive creations up close.
Here is a how-to for a simple honeycomb design. Follow their youtube channel for some seriously creepy makeup designs.
Collecting
Collecting in itself is not inherently a strange hobby, but depending on what some people collect, you may think otherwise.
Whether its memorabilia, dolls, hair or fingernails, “collecting” toes the line between passionate and obsessive.
For some examples, check out this Insider article to learn more about some strange collections from around the world.
Yarn Bombing
“Yarn Bombing” is like graffiti for grandmothers. What started out as a cute decoration on a yarn boutique door-handle, has turned into a sort of soft revolution.
Yarn bombings can be spotted in cities across the world and adds a little bit of quirkiness and color anywhere they pop up.
Check out the book Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti to learn more.
Competitive Dog Grooming
Yup there’s a dog in there. Poor guy.
Welcome to the weird and wild world of competitive dog grooming.
Dog Groomers compete in various competitions around the world where dog and owner are judged on their bond, communication, obedience and of course, style.
Extreme Ironing
Extreme Ironing is exactly what it sounds like. Combine your favorite extreme sport with an ironing board, iron and a wrinkled shirt.
Extreme Ironing lends itself to some fairly epic / ridiculous Instagram photos and over the years has gained a faithful community of extreme ironers around the world.
They even have a how-to book for novices looking to get started titled, Extreme Ironing 101: A Quick Guide on How to Extreme Iron Step by Step from A to Z.
Tree Shaping
Tree Shaping or Niwaki is the art of manipulating living trees into various positions and priming them to grow into artistic shapes.
This artistic styling of trees has been around for thousands of years and may be the most patient art form to ever exist.
Tree Shapers utilizes small changes applied consistently over time to create something natural and beautiful.
Check out Niwaki: Pruning, Training and Shaping Trees the Japanese Way to get some creative ideas you can implement in your own backyard…
Clowning
A unique hobby geared toward entertainment, laughter and hijinks.
Looking to get into clowning but don’t know where to begin?
Check out TheClownSchool.com for more information, starter tips and classes…
News Raiding
When we started researching strange hobbies, we did’t think that “photo bombing” would be on the list.
News raiding is essentially photo bombing with a mission. That mission is to end up on television or the nightly news.
News raiders find out where local news camera crews will be, and then attempt to stand in frame or near the news reporter. As a result of their research and dedication, “Expert” news raiders are able to make it onto T.V regularly.
Toy Voyaging
Everyone loves a good vacation; relaxing on a beach, exploring a new city or seeing one of the wonders of the world. Some people think that their stuffed animals deserve a vacation.
“Toy Voyagers” is a group of people who offer to take each others stuffed animals on vacation for photo shoots at various points of interest around the world.
Dumpster Diving
Dumpster diving is the “art” of digging through dumpsters to find things of interest to either sell or keep as your own.
“One mans trash is another mans treasure”, right?
For instance, have you ever been in a college town at the end of May? Those dumpsters are filled with gold. Well maybe not gold, but there are lots of lightly used futons and furniture that you could easily be re-sold.
If you’re in the right location and you have some good pickin’ skills, you can find some real treasures out there in dumpsters across America.
There is a community of divers on reddit if you are looking for more information and tips. https://www.reddit.com/r/DumpsterDiving/
Hikaru Dorodango
Hikaru Dorodango is the ancient Japenese art of forming clay or mud into perfectly spherical balls with your hands.
As a result, the finished product is a fragile, shiny ball that can be used as a decoration in the home or garden.
Makers of the ball say that the process is very therapeutic and meditative, similar to that of pottery.
Hobby Horse Racing
Of all of the strange hobbies we’ve seen, this is one that you’ve just got to see to believe. With “hobby” right there in the name, how could we leave out Hobby Horse Racing?
Every year, Finland hosts the largest annual Hobby Horse competition which draws competitors from around the world to compete in obstacle courses, dressage and “horsemanship”.
Looking for more great hobbies to try? Check out our Huge List of Hobbies from A-Z here…
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