Hey all!

So I know that Jade plants aren't a true bonsai species, but I recently did a huge whack of my jade plant and have some fantastic thick branches that could be used as a bonsai-esque plant. I'm just not sure how to go about this. I'm thinking something along the lines of the plants linked below.

http://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/media/d1317.jpg

http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/c/cr/crassula_bonsai.jpg

Right now, the cuttings will be dipped into a rooting hormone powder and left to dry for a week, then potted in a half and half mix of cactus soil and regular soil. Should I pull off the leaves along the "trunk?" How do I get a nice fat trunk - do I prune back new growth to encourage it to thicken and get bushy, or do I let it grow unrestricted, then hack back to what I want it to be? Here are some pictures of the branches in question. Is it true that more light = smaller leaves? (Sorry, that might be a jade-specific question but I'm hoping a few bonsai-ers here will have some jades and be able to advise me!)

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