diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index 2de9c16a..3f0ce0de 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ const IMG_DIR = Pkg.dir("Plots") * "/img/"
 include("types.jl")
 include("utils.jl")
 include("colors.jl")
+include("components.jl")
 include("plotter.jl")
 include("args.jl")
 include("plot.jl")
diff --git a/src/components.jl b/src/components.jl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e872b7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+
+immutable Shape
+  vertices::AVec
+end
+
+"get an array of tuples of points on a circle with radius `r`"
+function partialcircle(start_θ, end_θ, n = 20, r=1)
+  @compat(Tuple{Float64,Float64})[(r*cos(u),r*sin(u)) for u in linspace(start_θ, end_θ, n)]
+end
+
+"interleave 2 vectors into each other (like a zipper's teeth)"
+function weave(x,y; ordering = Vector[x,y])
+  ret = eltype(x)[]
+  done = false
+  while !done
+    for o in ordering
+      try
+          push!(ret, shift!(o))
+      end
+      # try
+      #     push!(ret, shift!(y))
+      # end
+    end
+    done = isempty(x) && isempty(y)
+  end
+  ret
+end
+
+
+"create a star by weaving together points from an outer and inner circle.  `n` is the number of arms"
+function makestar(n; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
+    z1 = offset * π
+    z2 = z1 + π / (n)
+    outercircle = partialcircle(z1, z1 + 2π, n+1, radius)
+    innercircle = partialcircle(z2, z2 + 2π, n+1, 0.4radius)
+    Shape(weave(outercircle, innercircle)[1:end-2])
+end
+
+"create a shape by picking points around the unit circle.  `n` is the number of point/sides, `offset` is the starting angle"
+function makeshape(n; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
+    z = offset * π
+    Shape(partialcircle(z, z + 2π, n+1, radius)[1:end-1])
+end
+
+
+function makecross(; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
+    z2 = offset * π
+    z1 = z2 - π/8
+    outercircle = partialcircle(z1, z1 + 2π, 9, radius)
+    innercircle = partialcircle(z2, z2 + 2π, 5, 0.5radius)
+    Shape(weave(outercircle, innercircle, 
+                ordering=Vector[outercircle,innercircle,outercircle])[1:end-2])
+end
+
+
+const _shapes = @compat Dict(
+    :ellipse => makeshape(20),
+    :rect => makeshape(4, offset=-0.25),
+    :diamond => makeshape(4),
+    :utriangle => makeshape(3),
+    :dtriangle => makeshape(3, offset=0.5),
+    :pentagon => makeshape(5),
+    :hexagon => makeshape(6),
+    :heptagon => makeshape(7),
+    :octagon => makeshape(8),
+    :cross => makecross(offset=-0.25),
+    :xcross => makecross(),
+  )
+
+for n in [4,5,6,7,8]
+  _shapes[symbol("star$n")] = makestar(n)
+end
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+immutable Font
+  family::AbstractString
+  pointsize::Int
+  halign::Symbol
+  valign::Symbol
+  rotation::Float64
+  color::Colorant
+end
+
+"Create a Font from a list of unordered features"
+function font(args...)
+  
+  # defaults
+  family = "Helvetica"
+  pointsize = 14
+  halign = :hcenter
+  valign = :vcenter
+  rotation = 0.0
+  color = colorant"black"
+
+  for arg in args
+    T = typeof(arg)
+
+    if arg == :center
+      halign = :hcenter
+      valign = :vcenter
+    elseif arg in (:hcenter, :left, :right)
+      halign = arg
+    elseif arg in (:vcenter, :top, :bottom)
+      valign = arg
+    elseif T <: Colorant
+      color = arg
+    elseif T <: @compat Union{Symbol,AbstractString}
+      try
+        color = parse(Colorant, string(arg))
+      catch
+        family = string(arg)
+      end
+    elseif typeof(arg) <: Integer
+      pointsize = arg
+    elseif typeof(arg) <: Real
+      rotation = convert(Float64, arg)
+    else
+      warn("Unused font arg: $arg ($(typeof(arg)))")
+    end
+  end
+
+  Font(family, pointsize, halign, valign, rotation, color)
+end
+
+"Wrap a string with font info"
+immutable PlotText
+  str::@compat(AbstractString)
+  font::Font
+end
+
+function text(str, args...)
+  PlotText(string(str), font(args...))
+end
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+immutable Stroke{T<:Real, C<:ColorScheme}
+  width::T
+  color::C
+  style::Symbol
+end
+
+function stroke(args...; α::Real = -1.0)
+  # defaults
+  width = 1
+  color = colorant"black"
+  style = :solid
+
+  for arg in args
+    T = typeof(arg)
+
+    # if arg in 
+  end
+
+  Stroke(width, color, style)
+end
+
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type OHLC{T<:Real}
+  open::T
+  high::T
+  low::T
+  close::T
+end
diff --git a/src/types.jl b/src/types.jl
index 6b7959d0..de469285 100644
--- a/src/types.jl
+++ b/src/types.jl
@@ -47,148 +47,3 @@ type Subplot{T<:PlottingPackage, L<:SubplotLayout} <: PlottingObject{T}
 end
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-immutable Shape
-  vertices::AVec
-end
-
-"get an array of tuples of points on a circle with radius `r`"
-function partialcircle(start_θ, end_θ, n = 20, r=1)
-  @compat(Tuple{Float64,Float64})[(r*cos(u),r*sin(u)) for u in linspace(start_θ, end_θ, n)]
-end
-
-"interleave 2 vectors into each other (like a zipper's teeth)"
-function weave(x,y; ordering = Vector[x,y])
-  ret = eltype(x)[]
-  done = false
-  while !done
-    for o in ordering
-      try
-          push!(ret, shift!(o))
-      end
-      # try
-      #     push!(ret, shift!(y))
-      # end
-    end
-    done = isempty(x) && isempty(y)
-  end
-  ret
-end
-
-
-"create a star by weaving together points from an outer and inner circle.  `n` is the number of arms"
-function makestar(n; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
-    z1 = offset * π
-    z2 = z1 + π / (n)
-    outercircle = partialcircle(z1, z1 + 2π, n+1, radius)
-    innercircle = partialcircle(z2, z2 + 2π, n+1, 0.4radius)
-    Shape(weave(outercircle, innercircle)[1:end-2])
-end
-
-"create a shape by picking points around the unit circle.  `n` is the number of point/sides, `offset` is the starting angle"
-function makeshape(n; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
-    z = offset * π
-    Shape(partialcircle(z, z + 2π, n+1, radius)[1:end-1])
-end
-
-
-function makecross(; offset = -0.5, radius = 1.0)
-    z2 = offset * π
-    z1 = z2 - π/8
-    outercircle = partialcircle(z1, z1 + 2π, 9, radius)
-    innercircle = partialcircle(z2, z2 + 2π, 5, 0.5radius)
-    Shape(weave(outercircle, innercircle, 
-                ordering=Vector[outercircle,innercircle,outercircle])[1:end-2])
-end
-
-
-const _shapes = @compat Dict(
-    :ellipse => makeshape(20),
-    :rect => makeshape(4, offset=-0.25),
-    :diamond => makeshape(4),
-    :utriangle => makeshape(3),
-    :dtriangle => makeshape(3, offset=0.5),
-    :pentagon => makeshape(5),
-    :hexagon => makeshape(6),
-    :heptagon => makeshape(7),
-    :octagon => makeshape(8),
-    :cross => makecross(offset=-0.25),
-    :xcross => makecross(),
-  )
-
-for n in [4,5,6,7,8]
-  _shapes[symbol("star$n")] = makestar(n)
-end
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-immutable Font
-  family::AbstractString
-  pointsize::Int
-  halign::Symbol
-  valign::Symbol
-  rotation::Float64
-  color::Colorant
-end
-
-"Create a Font from a list of unordered features"
-function font(args...)
-  
-  # defaults
-  family = "Helvetica"
-  pointsize = 14
-  halign = :hcenter
-  valign = :vcenter
-  rotation = 0.0
-  color = colorant"black"
-
-  for arg in args
-    T = typeof(arg)
-
-    if arg == :center
-      halign = :hcenter
-      valign = :vcenter
-    elseif arg in (:hcenter, :left, :right)
-      halign = arg
-    elseif arg in (:vcenter, :top, :bottom)
-      valign = arg
-    elseif T <: Colorant
-      color = arg
-    elseif T <: @compat Union{Symbol,AbstractString}
-      try
-        color = parse(Colorant, string(arg))
-      catch
-        family = string(arg)
-      end
-    elseif typeof(arg) <: Integer
-      pointsize = arg
-    elseif typeof(arg) <: Real
-      rotation = convert(Float64, arg)
-    else
-      warn("Unused font arg: $arg ($(typeof(arg)))")
-    end
-  end
-
-  Font(family, pointsize, halign, valign, rotation, color)
-end
-
-"Wrap a string with font info"
-immutable PlotText
-  str::@compat(AbstractString)
-  font::Font
-end
-
-function text(str, args...)
-  PlotText(string(str), font(args...))
-end
-  
-
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-type OHLC{T<:Real}
-  open::T
-  high::T
-  low::T
-  close::T
-end
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index d13c0bec..1c023233 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -203,6 +203,15 @@ Base.convert{T<:Real,S<:Real}(::Type{Vector{T}}, rng::Range{S}) = T[x for x in r
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
+"""
+Allows temporary setting of backend and defaults for Plots. Settings apply only for the `do` block.  Example:
+```
+with(:gadfly, size=(400,400), type=:hist) do
+  plot(rand(10))
+  plot(rand(10))
+end
+```
+"""
 function with(f::Function, args...; kw...)
 
   # dict to store old and new keyword args for anything that changes