Everyone knows that winter is the coldest time of the year.
In some climates, however, that may mean that you simply need to put on a light jacket when you go outside every morning.
For others, winter means digging out from foot after foot of snow and braving below zero temperatures.
That's fine if you like to spend your days outdoors, playing in the snow.
But what if you're not big on snowmobiling, cross country skiing, or making snow angels? Spend your days inside crafting, perhaps putting gloss glazes on the pottery that you're creating.
Throwing pots is a great way to use your creativity while staying warm once the mercury dips.
While others are slipping around on the ice and snow, you'll be deciding whether to make a wide-lipped bowl or a tall, slender vase designed to hold a single flower.
And when the flowers outside your house are covered with snow, seeing a flower inside can be a big psychological boost.
When you decide to craft during the winter, you'll want to make sure you have the right supplies to get the job done.
Of course you'll need some quality ceramic clay to throw on your potter's wheel, and the glaze to put on the finished product before you put it in the kiln.
And you should make sure your kiln is equipped with a kiln sitter.
This shouldn't be a problem, as pretty much any quality kiln will have one.
And you will want to decide what kind of glaze to use, which will depend on what kind of finished product you've decided to make.
If you're going to make a set of drinking glasses or bowls to eat out of, you'll have to use a dinnerware-safe glaze.
Making one of those flower pots? You won't have to worry as much about the type of glaze you've decided to use.
While purchasing the equipment will bring with it an up-front cost, it's nothing compared to the hours of joy you'll get from the creation and use of your pottery.
Another thing you'll want to make sure of is that you know how to properly maintain your equipment.
After all, you want it to not only last for this winter, but for many winters down the road.
It's usually cheaper to do repairs yourself, so if your potter's wheel breaks down, if you feel comfortable doing the repair, you may just be able to save a little money.
By sourcing potters wheel parts online or at your local crafting store, you may be able to get your crafting operation up and running again for less than you would have spent by bringing it into the repair shop.
And if it's really cold, you're not going to want to be trudging out to the repair shop anyways.