My hat is off to Orchid

Jewelry Discussion
1

Everyone,

I want to let you all know how much I value this place! I have just
broken my ankle on 7-7-07 and have to have surgery tomorrow 7-16. I
am immobilized and having some pain. Ice and meds are helping.

My daily delight is reading Orchid posts! Graver talk, soldering,
booth design, selling your work, prices showing or not - I am
drinking it all up like divine nectar. Also I like getting to know
the frequent posters. If each you only knew how interesting and
anticipated your posts are…!

So I am sure I will survive the surgery (steel plate screwed into
ankle bone for a bit of external rebar) but I just wanted to write
and say bye for now.

I’ll be home the same day, tomorrow afternoon they say, and perhaps
checking Orchid before this post even appears!

I did just upload my new website, www.papayani.com while I have been
stranded here. I learned some site design at home, using
Dreamweaver, and I hope for and expect much evolution and
maturing… Check it out when you can (don’t buy anything! I’ll be
recovering for a while). It took me several months to get it this
far.

Anyone who looks at it, please let me know if you see things that
need fixing so I can give it attention, once I can - and let me know
what browser you’re using.

I just found the Bench Exchange the other night - what a treasure
trove! Some time I hope to add mine.

Fondly,
Connie

2

I hope you have a laptop! Many hospitals now have wi-fi. And you can
watch movies on your laptop. A great way to pass the time.

Remember you can read Orchid library articles when you run out of
posts.

For a better looking hospital gown, check out:

http://www.hospitalgowns.com/viewgowns.htm

Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

3

Hello Connie,

I had the same surgery three years ago. Are you getting a boot or a
cast afterwards ? Hopefully the former, it’s much better. I stayed
mostly in my big chair in the living room for 9 weeks, but I had a
bad break with a lot of damage to ligaments and tendons. I don’t
watch television, so my laptop was my constant companion, along with
my art books.

Hope everything goes well. The broken ankle isn’t a good thing, but
at least you know you’ll get up and walk around again just like you
used to ! Time heals all…

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.

4

Best wishes and healing HUGS I will check out your site and if I see
something you could use with dreamweaver to improve it I will let
you know I have the whole garbanza bean of web development tools lol

Teri
Silver & Cameo Heritage Jewelry
www.corneliusspick.com

5

Connie, I hope all goes well with the surgery.

I know what you mean about Orchid, I will go a few weeks not really
looking at all at any of the posts then a few weeks where I can’t get
enough. Thank God for Orchid, I like being in touch with you all.

Sam Patania, Tucson

6

Hello Connie Langan,

Bummer about the ankle, but after surgery, some PT, you’ll be good
as new. Airport security may be a problem though. :slight_smile:

You said to look at your website.

I did just upload my new website, www.papayani.com while I have
been stranded here... Anyone who looks at it, please let me know if
you see things that need fixing so I can give it attention, once I
can - and let me know what browser you're using.

I just did and right now, I’d suggest better focus on your photos.
I’m using Explorer. The linkage would show to better advantage. Good
work deserves good photos.

Hope all goes well with the surgery and your recovery is speedy!

Judy in Kansas

7

Connie

I am wishing you very a speedy recovery…your website is just
great.I liked the ‘personal’ touch. Hope to see you back in minutes
after the operation…:>) We are not frequent posters…we just have
loads to talk about…as in, “motor-mouth folks!”…get well fast…

Gerry!

8

Connie

I tried everything except the order process with Firefox and
Netscape, both browsers are current and worked well or at least had
the same displays. Nice graphics and layout. Need work on the photos,
but I am sure you knew that.

Overall, a very nice job.

Sorry to hear about the ankle, hope you get better soon.

On your button ‘Add to Cart’, is that something you have made, I did
not see it in your sale items.

Terry

9

Connie,

I’ve been in more hospitals that I want to admit. If you are stuck
in the place of disinfectant and horrid hospital gowns, I highly
suggest that somebody fetches your pillow from your bed. There is
nothing that raises your spirits than the familiar smell of your
pillow.

I’m sure you will be home in no time, back to your computer. If you
are in the hospital for a long stay, do ask about where you can get a
computer connection. Be persistent. What ever you do, don’t watch
Sicko! Great movie.

Good luck. You have a lot of company from this group that has been
there I’m sure.

-k

M E T A L W E R X
School for Jewelry and the Metalarts
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
781 891 3854
www.metalwerx.com

10

Connie,

Connie, between my back, abdomen and foot, I have had five surgeries
since January. I totally agree about the value of Orchid in the
recovery process. It has at least kept my brain active if my hands
couldn’t be. Still one month to go in my boot, and then I think I am
finished with doctors for the rest of the year.

Evalie

11

Hello all!

My ankle is healing and I get a cast on next Thursday. I think it
will be a non-walking cast.

Brian C., I have a laptop here, thank God for that! I really hope
that after the cast goes on, my foot won’t hurt too much to get some
bench work done. I got a sturdy tall revolving stool so I can reach
my bench top seated, and another chair to prop my foot on. Were you
able to work at the bench at all when you had yours?

Elaine L., I had the surgery as an outpatient on Monday 7/16. It was
quick! I don’t think I missed a day of Orchid posts. BTW I love your
site. I have tried metal clay, might do more.

Gerry L., I appreciate all your tutorials! I have bezel set a few
small stones. Although they’re bezel set, with bright cut stones I
have been making bearings by drilling out the backplate so the
pavilion is supported in position. So flush setting will be the next
step!

Judy W., thanks for checking the website. I will need to take new
photos - I took early ones without knowing much about the camera
settings. Now I can retake with good focus, lighting, and
proportion, because now I trim them all to square. Your feedback
matches others I’ve gotten.

Sam P., Yes TGFO!

Teri, I’m using Dreamweaver too. Isn’t it great?! The thing I would
like to have mastered is CSS. I have a book on it but now it’s too
heavy to hold it to read it (it’s a big paperback). I have learned a
few good tricks but I wanna know more!

Terry O., Taking pictures of jewelry takes more time than I
expected! I have a tripod and now know how to set the aperture
narrow for fuller focus. I need some white nylon for diffusing
lighting - or some convenient way to cut down on all the
reflection…

The “Add to cart” icon is a picture of a drachma, a Greek coin that
has been in use for a long time (how long? I don’t know). We used to
have a replica of one around our house when I was a kid, it was
giant, about the size of my whole hand. I have seen some real ones
bezeled as rings on a jewelry website recently- so good looking!
They looked really like the size of dimes on the site. That site is
possibly that of an Orchid member…?

I am drawing lots of designs right now for new work and making
step-by-step instructions for myself. I am typing them into a Word
document and drawing with Microsoft Paint and pasting those in.

Off to read Orchid now

Connie

12

Connie,

Don’t be too active once the cast is off. Let the ankle heal without
stressing it.

I was very active after my ankle operation, cast removal and pin
removal. Things slipped and now I have arthritis.

Glad to hear the operation was successful. I agree with you. Orchid
is great.

What did we do without computers, word processors and paint?

Lee Epperson