diff --git a/src/recipes.jl b/src/recipes.jl
index 876b3897..804a7074 100644
--- a/src/recipes.jl
+++ b/src/recipes.jl
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function hvline_limits(axis::Axis)
 end
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:hline}}, x, y, z)
-    xmin, xmax = hvline_limits(d[:subplot][:xaxis])
+    xmin, xmax = hvline_limits(plotattributes[:subplot][:xaxis])
     n = length(y)
     newx = repmat(Float64[xmin, xmax, NaN], n)
     newy = vec(Float64[yi for i=1:3,yi=y])
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ end
 @deps hline path
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:vline}}, x, y, z)
-    ymin, ymax = hvline_limits(d[:subplot][:yaxis])
+    ymin, ymax = hvline_limits(plotattributes[:subplot][:yaxis])
     n = length(y)
     newx = vec(Float64[yi for i=1:3,yi=y])
     newy = repmat(Float64[ymin, ymax, NaN], n)
@@ -123,11 +123,11 @@ end
 
 # create a path from steps
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:steppre}}, x, y, z)
-    d[:x], d[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppre)
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppre)
     seriestype := :path
 
     # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
         @series begin
             seriestype := :scatter
             x := x
@@ -144,11 +144,11 @@ end
 
 # create a path from steps
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:steppost}}, x, y, z)
-    d[:x], d[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppost)
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppost)
     seriestype := :path
 
     # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
         @series begin
             seriestype := :scatter
             x := x
@@ -170,9 +170,9 @@ end
 # create vertical line segments from fill
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:sticks}}, x, y, z)
     n = length(x)
-    fr = d[:fillrange]
+    fr = plotattributes[:fillrange]
     if fr == nothing
-        yaxis = d[:subplot][:yaxis]
+        yaxis = plotattributes[:subplot][:yaxis]
         fr = if yaxis[:scale] == :identity
             0.0
         else
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ end
     seriestype := :path
 
     # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
         @series begin
             seriestype := :scatter
             x := x
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ end
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:curves}}, x, y, z; npoints = 30)
     args = z != nothing ? (x,y,z) : (x,y)
     newx, newy = zeros(0), zeros(0)
-    fr = d[:fillrange]
+    fr = plotattributes[:fillrange]
     newfr = fr != nothing ? zeros(0) : nothing
     newz = z != nothing ? zeros(0) : nothing
     # lz = d[:line_z]
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ end
 
 # create a bar plot as a filled step function
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:bar}}, x, y, z)
-    procx, procy, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_barlike(d, x, y)
+    procx, procy, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_barlike(plotattributes, x, y)
     nx, ny = length(procx), length(procy)
-    axis = d[:subplot][isvertical(d) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
+    axis = plotattributes[:subplot][isvertical(plotattributes) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
     cv = [discrete_value!(axis, xi)[1] for xi=procx]
     procx = if nx == ny
         cv
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ end
     end
 
     # compute half-width of bars
-    bw = d[:bar_width]
+    bw = plotattributes[:bar_width]
     hw = if bw == nothing
         0.5*_bar_width*ignorenan_mean(diff(procx))
     else
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ end
     end
 
     # make fillto a vector... default fills to 0
-    fillto = d[:fillrange]
+    fillto = plotattributes[:fillrange]
     if fillto == nothing
         fillto = 0
     end
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ end
     expand_extrema!(axis, widen(ignorenan_extrema(xseg.pts)...))
 
     # switch back
-    if !isvertical(d)
+    if !isvertical(plotattributes)
         xseg, yseg = yseg, xseg
     end
 
@@ -389,8 +389,8 @@ end
 
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:barbins}}, x, y, z)
-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
-    if (d[:bar_width] == nothing)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)
+    if (plotattributes[:bar_width] == nothing)
         bar_width := diff(edge)
     end
     x := _bin_centers(edge)
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ end
 
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatterbins}}, x, y, z)
-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)
     xerror := diff(edge)/2
     x := _bin_centers(edge)
     y := weights
@@ -465,17 +465,17 @@ end
 
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:stepbins}}, x, y, z)
-    axis = d[:subplot][Plots.isvertical(d) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
+    axis = plotattributes[:subplot][Plots.isvertical(plotattributes) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
 
-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)
 
     xpts, ypts = _stepbins_path(edge, weights, baseline, xscale, yscale)
-    if !isvertical(d)
+    if !isvertical(plotattributes)
         xpts, ypts = ypts, xpts
     end
 
     # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
         @series begin
             seriestype := :scatter
             x := _bin_centers(edge)
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ end
 @deps histogram barhist
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:barhist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
     x := h.edges[1]
     y := h.weights
     seriestype := :barbins
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ end
 @deps barhist barbins
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:stephist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
     x := h.edges[1]
     y := h.weights
     seriestype := :stepbins
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ end
 @deps stephist stepbins
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatterhist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
     x := h.edges[1]
     y := h.weights
     seriestype := :scatterbins
@@ -597,11 +597,11 @@ end
         :bar => :barbins, :scatter => :scatterbins, :step => :stepbins,
         :steppost => :stepbins # :step can be mapped to :steppost in pre-processing
     )
-    seriestype := get(st_map, d[:seriestype], d[:seriestype])
+    seriestype := get(st_map, plotattributes[:seriestype], plotattributes[:seriestype])
 
-    if d[:seriestype] == :scatterbins
+    if plotattributes[:seriestype] == :scatterbins
         # Workaround, error bars currently not set correctly by scatterbins
-        edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, h.edges[1], h.weights)
+        edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, h.edges[1], h.weights)
         xerror --> diff(h.edges[1])/2
         seriestype := :scatter
         (Plots._bin_centers(edge), weights)
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ Plots.@deps bins2d heatmap
 
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:histogram2d}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((x, y), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((x, y), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
     x := h.edges[1]
     y := h.edges[2]
     z := Surface(h.weights)
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ end
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatter3d}}, x, y, z)
     seriestype := :path3d
-    if d[:markershape] == :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] == :none
         markershape := :circle
     end
     linewidth := 0
@@ -732,17 +732,17 @@ end
 # we will create a series of path segments, where each point represents one
 # side of an errorbar
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:yerror}}, x, y, z)
-    error_style!(d)
+    error_style!(plotattributes)
     markershape := :hline
-    d[:x], d[:y] = error_coords(d[:x], d[:y], error_zipit(d[:yerror]))
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = error_coords(plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y], error_zipit(plotattributes[:yerror]))
     ()
 end
 @deps yerror path
 
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:xerror}}, x, y, z)
-    error_style!(d)
+    error_style!(plotattributes)
     markershape := :vline
-    d[:y], d[:x] = error_coords(d[:y], d[:x], error_zipit(d[:xerror]))
+    plotattributes[:y], plotattributes[:x] = error_coords(plotattributes[:y], plotattributes[:x], error_zipit(plotattributes[:xerror]))
     ()
 end
 @deps xerror path
@@ -841,9 +841,9 @@ end
 # function apply_series_recipe(d::KW, ::Type{Val{:quiver}})
 @recipe function f(::Type{Val{:quiver}}, x, y, z)
     if :arrow in supported_attrs()
-        quiver_using_arrows(d)
+        quiver_using_arrows(plotattributes)
     else
-        quiver_using_hack(d)
+        quiver_using_hack(plotattributes)
     end
     ()
 end
@@ -948,10 +948,10 @@ end
     rs, cs, zs = findnz(z.surf)
     xlim := ignorenan_extrema(cs)
     ylim := ignorenan_extrema(rs)
-    if d[:markershape] == :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] == :none
         markershape := :circle
     end
-    if d[:markersize] == default(:markersize)
+    if plotattributes[:markersize] == default(:markersize)
         markersize := 1
     end
     markerstrokewidth := 0
diff --git a/src/series.jl b/src/series.jl
index 66518b78..52b672a1 100644
--- a/src/series.jl
+++ b/src/series.jl
@@ -128,15 +128,15 @@ immutable SliceIt end
         z = z.data
     end
 
-    xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, d)
-    ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, d)
-    zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, d)
+    xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, plotattributes)
+    ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, plotattributes)
+    zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, plotattributes)
 
-    fr = pop!(d, :fillrange, nothing)
+    fr = pop!(plotattributes, :fillrange, nothing)
     fillranges, _ = if typeof(fr) <: Number
         ([fr],nothing)
     else
-        convertToAnyVector(fr, d)
+        convertToAnyVector(fr, plotattributes)
     end
     mf = length(fillranges)
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ immutable SliceIt end
     if mx > 0 && my > 0 && mz > 0
         for i in 1:max(mx, my, mz)
             # add a new series
-            di = copy(d)
+            di = copy(plotattributes)
             xi, yi, zi = xs[mod1(i,mx)], ys[mod1(i,my)], zs[mod1(i,mz)]
             di[:x], di[:y], di[:z] = compute_xyz(xi, yi, zi)
 
@@ -206,11 +206,11 @@ _apply_type_recipe{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(d, v::AbstractArray{T}) = v
 # handle "type recipes" by converting inputs, and then either re-calling or slicing
 @recipe function f(x, y, z)
     did_replace = false
-    newx = _apply_type_recipe(d, x)
+    newx = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, x)
     x === newx || (did_replace = true)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
     y === newy || (did_replace = true)
-    newz = _apply_type_recipe(d, z)
+    newz = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, z)
     z === newz || (did_replace = true)
     if did_replace
         newx, newy, newz
@@ -220,9 +220,9 @@ _apply_type_recipe{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(d, v::AbstractArray{T}) = v
 end
 @recipe function f(x, y)
     did_replace = false
-    newx = _apply_type_recipe(d, x)
+    newx = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, x)
     x === newx || (did_replace = true)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
     y === newy || (did_replace = true)
     if did_replace
         newx, newy
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ end
     end
 end
 @recipe function f(y)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
     if y !== newy
         newy
     else
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ end
 @recipe function f(v1, v2, v3, v4, vrest...)
     did_replace = false
     newargs = map(v -> begin
-        newv = _apply_type_recipe(d, v)
+        newv = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, v)
         if newv !== v
             did_replace = true
         end
@@ -271,13 +271,13 @@ function wrap_surfaces(d::KW)
     end
 end
 
-@recipe f(n::Integer) = is3d(get(d,:seriestype,:path)) ? (SliceIt, n, n, n) : (SliceIt, n, n, nothing)
+@recipe f(n::Integer) = is3d(get(plotattributes,:seriestype,:path)) ? (SliceIt, n, n, n) : (SliceIt, n, n, nothing)
 
 # return a surface if this is a 3d plot, otherwise let it be sliced up
 @recipe function f{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(mat::AMat{T})
-    if all3D(d)
+    if all3D(plotattributes)
         n,m = size(mat)
-        wrap_surfaces(d)
+        wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
         SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Surface(mat)
     else
         SliceIt, nothing, mat, nothing
@@ -286,10 +286,10 @@ end
 
 # if a matrix is wrapped by Formatted, do similar logic, but wrap data with Surface
 @recipe function f{T<:AbstractMatrix}(fmt::Formatted{T})
-    if all3D(d)
+    if all3D(plotattributes)
         mat = fmt.data
         n,m = size(mat)
-        wrap_surfaces(d)
+        wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
         SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Formatted(Surface(mat), fmt.formatter)
     else
         SliceIt, nothing, fmt, nothing
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ end
     else
         seriestype := :heatmap
         yflip --> true
-        z, d[:fillcolor] = replace_image_with_heatmap(mat)
+        z, plotattributes[:fillcolor] = replace_image_with_heatmap(mat)
         SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Surface(z)
     end
 end
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ end
 # function without range... use the current range of the x-axis
 
 @recipe function f{F<:Function}(f::FuncOrFuncs{F})
-    plt = d[:plot_object]
+    plt = plotattributes[:plot_object]
     xmin, xmax = try
         axis_limits(plt[1][:xaxis])
     catch
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ end
     #         seriestype := :path3d
     #     end
     # end
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
     SliceIt, x, y, z
 end
 
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ end
 @recipe function f(x::AVec, y::AVec, zf::Function)
     # x = X <: Number ? sort(x) : x
     # y = Y <: Number ? sort(y) : y
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
     SliceIt, x, y, Surface(zf, x, y)  # TODO: replace with SurfaceFunction when supported
 end
 
@@ -439,10 +439,10 @@ end
 # # surface-like... matrix grid
 
 @recipe function f(x::AVec, y::AVec, z::AMat)
-    if !like_surface(get(d, :seriestype, :none))
-        d[:seriestype] = :contour
+    if !like_surface(get(plotattributes, :seriestype, :none))
+        plotattributes[:seriestype] = :contour
     end
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
     SliceIt, x, y, Surface(z)
 end
 
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ end
 @recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number}(xyz::Tuple{R1,R2,R3})       = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]
 
 # these might be points+velocity, or OHLC or something else
-@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4}}) = get(d,:seriestype,:path)==:ohlc ? OHLC[OHLC(t...) for t in xyuv] : unzip(xyuv)
+@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4}}) = get(plotattributes,:seriestype,:path)==:ohlc ? OHLC[OHLC(t...) for t in xyuv] : unzip(xyuv)
 @recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4})       = [xyuv[1]], [xyuv[2]], [xyuv[3]], [xyuv[4]]
 
 
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ group_as_matrix(t) = false
             @series begin
                 label     --> string(glab)
                 idxfilter --> groupby.groupIds[i]
-                for (key,val) in d
+                for (key,val) in plotattributes
                     if splittable_kw(key, val, lengthGroup)
                         :($key) := split_kw(key, val, groupby.groupIds[i])
                     end
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ group_as_matrix(t) = false
         end
         x_u = unique(x)
         x_ind = Dict(zip(x_u, 1:length(x_u)))
-        for (key,val) in d
+        for (key,val) in plotattributes
             if splittable_kw(key, val, lengthGroup)
                 :($key) := groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, val, groupby)
             end