Orton Effect with Luminosity masks

I think a tutorial on the Orton Effect would be a excellent topic. Looking for covering two areas. 1) best way to create an action for the Orton Effect. There are so many ways on the web so not all of them can be the correct. A good method for the Orton Effect would be nice. 2) The Orton Effect uses Gaussian blur. The effect should bleed highlights into the shadows to make a glow. But Gaussian blur also bleeds darks into the highlights. How can you just blur highlights into shadows? E.g. would a luminosity mask help?