Services – Expressions of Grace Bonsai

A Christmas Bonsai Carol and a look at plans for 2023.

Xavier Martinez — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 16:36:19 +0000

Where did 2022 go this year?

I have barely touched the website despite numerous promises to do so. There are unfinished pages and countless other issues and there is still no shop. Does that mean I have stopped working – NO, of course not. My bonsai and pre-bonsai stocks have grown considerably to just over 750 specimens and I am now committed to full-time hours in the backyard nursery. So what did change?

My YouTube Channel

I will blame all my failings on YouTube. Yep – I finally succumbed and am now regularly creating content on my channel. I think I have just over 130 videos and shorts and am now reaching the 1000 subscribers level. I am pretty staggered by this support and can only thank all those who have encouraged me to keep going.

I HAVE FINALLY FORCED MYSELF TO TAKE A MINIMUM OF TWO WEEKS REST FROM THIS…

So that means I can try to rectify some of the failings of my website. Firstly, I have to confirm that I do not have plans, in the short term, to open an E-shop. I still regularly sell bonsai from my garden and through Ebay (occasionally). I am also open to prviate sales through Paypal but must stress that this is generally for subscribers to my channel. I am not set up to ship internationally.

Due to my unexpected growing success on YouTube I will be prioritising this for 2023 and the first big change will be allowing advertising as part of Google Adsense. This is part of my longer term objective to turn bonsai into my full time profession. This means you will now also start to see ads placed on the website.

I am currently working through my video backlog and updating all the English ‘closed captions’. This allows me to then translate it into other languages. Clearly this takes time but will hopefully reap some benefits in the future. Please let me know in the comments if there is a language you would like included.

Website updates

I will be concentrating on updating and improving the Species section. This will include linking a lot of my newly created instructional videos to the specific tree type.

I will be adding a Workflow Calander that will allow you to see dates that I carry out different types of work on different bonsai.

Projects will also be updated and will also link to videos fo the work carried out.

I am also reviewing the services that I could carry out. Tree sitting is still going to be available for those of you close to me. I am also looking at providing 1:1 help with bonsai development. I am not a professional so i’ve yet to decide on how best this could be safely managed.

And finally...

Please let me know if there are any ideas you have that may make this site more useful to you. I love bonsai and sometimes it is easy to forget that things I find ‘great’ may not appeal so much to others. Thank you all so much for supporting me and I look forward to better things in 2023.

God Bless and Happy Bonsaiing,

Xav

A day at the Market in rainy Grantham

Xavier Martinez — Sun, 07 May 2017 07:40:20 +0000

So yesterday was a great success at Grantham Market and lots of people showed real interest (or were just being polite) and even purchased some trees. I did have a sleepless night worrying that a few unhappy customers may be regretting their choice but only time will tell. (Or they will!!)

A big thank you to the market manager Gary who gave me a great pitch and an even bigger thanks to all those people who stopped to chat and encourage me. Roll on May 20th for my next day at Grantham market.

Apologies to anybody who has just read my Facebook entry…it does look a little bit ‘cut and paste’. Because it is!!

I’m still trying to manage content and do all the necessary edits and improvements whilst still keeping my ever demanding trees happy – they do hate it when I ignore them for the day.

Some of the mature Larches understand that I have administrative work to manage but trying to keep the thirsty young maples in order is really trying :).

I will continue to upload galleries this week and will try to look at other shop options…my previous attempt failed with Woo Commerce because I don’t have the ‘pro’ version of this theme. Not a big issue for me as I really want all my sales to be ‘cash on collection’ and via visits to my nursery.

God Bless & Happy Bonsaiing

Xavier

Shop Update in Progress

Xavier Martinez — Wed, 03 May 2017 13:22:36 +0000

Hi,

Just to let you know I am in the process of adding a shop section to the site so expect some changes as I catalogue, price and list the bonsai I have grudgingly decided are open to purchase.

You will also be aware some other sections of the site are still under development so I ask you to be patient.

Thank You