diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index 4fe276c1..091634e6 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -621,7 +621,17 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
         delete!(d, :link)
     end
 
-    return
+    # pull out invalid keywords into their own KW dict... these are likely user-defined through recipes
+    kw = KW()
+    for k in keys(d)
+        try
+            default(k)
+        catch
+            # not a valid key... pop and add to user list
+            kw[k] = pop!(d, k)
+        end
+    end
+    kw
 end
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index 62bfd14c..d9ad1065 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function plot(args...; kw...)
     plt = _create_plot(pkg, plotargs)  # create a new, blank plot
 
     delete!(d, :background_color)
-    plot!(plt, args...; d...)  # add to it
+    plot!(plt, args...; kw...)  # add to it
 end
 
 
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ end
 # this adds to a specific plot... most plot commands will flow through here
 function plot!(plt::Plot, args...; kw...)
     d = KW(kw)
-    preprocessArgs!(d)
+    userkw = preprocessArgs!(d)
 
     # for plotting recipes, swap out the args and update the parameter dictionary
-    args = _apply_recipe(d, args...; kw...)
+    args = _apply_recipe(d, userkw, args...)
     _add_markershape(d)
 
     dumpdict(d, "After plot! preprocessing")
diff --git a/src/recipes.jl b/src/recipes.jl
index 6b713941..9326bc32 100644
--- a/src/recipes.jl
+++ b/src/recipes.jl
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ plot!(plt::Plot, recipe::PlotRecipe, args...; kw...) = plot!(getRecipeXY(recipe)
 num_series(x::AMat) = size(x,2)
 num_series(x) = 1
 
-_apply_recipe(d::KW; kw...) = ()
+_apply_recipe(d::KW, kw::KW) = ()
 
 # if it's not a recipe, just do nothing and return the args
-function _apply_recipe(d::KW, args...; issubplot=false, kw...)
+function _apply_recipe(d::KW, kw::KW, args...; issubplot=false)
     if issubplot && !haskey(d, :n) && !haskey(d, :layout)
         # put in a sensible default
         d[:n] = maximum(map(num_series, args))
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ macro recipe(funcexpr::Expr)
     if !(isa(lhs, Expr) && lhs.head == :call)
         error("Expected `lhs = ...` with lhs as a call Expr... got: $lhs")
     end
-    args = lhs.args[2:end]
 
     # for parametric definitions, take the "curly" expression and add the func
     front = lhs.args[1]
@@ -115,12 +114,25 @@ macro recipe(funcexpr::Expr)
         func = front
     end
 
+    # get the arg list, stripping out any keyword parameters into a
+    # bunch of get!(kw, key, value) lines
+    args = lhs.args[2:end]
+    kw_body = Expr(:block)
+    if isa(args[1], Expr) && args[1].head == :parameters
+        for kwpair in args[1].args
+            k, v = kwpair.args
+            push!(kw_body.args, :(get!(kw, $(QuoteNode(k)), $v)))
+        end
+        args = args[2:end]
+    end
+
     # replace all the key => value lines with argument setting logic
     replace_recipe_arrows!(body)
 
     # now build a function definition for _apply_recipe, wrapping the return value in a tuple if needed
     esc(quote
-        function $func(d::KW, $(args...); issubplot=false, kw...)
+        function $func(d::KW, kw::KW, $(args...); issubplot=false)
+            $kw_body
             ret = $body
             if typeof(ret) <: Tuple
                 ret
@@ -131,37 +143,6 @@ macro recipe(funcexpr::Expr)
     end)
 end
 
-# macro plotrecipe(args, expr)
-#     if !isa(args, Expr)
-#         error("The first argument to `@plotrecipe` should be a valid argument list for dispatch.")
-#     end
-#
-#     # wrap the args in a tuple
-#     if args.head != :tuple
-#         args = Expr(:tuple, args)
-#     end
-#
-#     # # handle positional args
-#     # fixed_args = []
-#     # positional_exprs = []
-#     # for arg in args
-#     #     if
-#
-#     # replace all the key => value lines with argument setting logic
-#     replace_recipe_arrows!(expr)
-#
-#     # now build a function definition for _apply_recipe, wrapping the return value in a tuple if needed
-#     esc(quote
-#         function Plots._apply_recipe(d::KW, $(args.args...); issubplot=false, kw...)
-#             ret = $expr
-#             if typeof(ret) <: Tuple
-#                 ret
-#             else
-#                 (ret,)
-#             end
-#         end
-#     end)
-# end
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/subplot.jl b/src/subplot.jl
index f03c7df3..421a9b27 100644
--- a/src/subplot.jl
+++ b/src/subplot.jl
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function subplot(args...; kw...)
   preprocessArgs!(d)
 
   # for plotting recipes, swap out the args and update the parameter dictionary
-  args = _apply_recipe(d, args...; kw..., issubplot=true)
+  args = _apply_recipe(d, KW(kw), args...; issubplot=true)
   _add_markershape(d)
 
   # figure out the layout
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ function subplot(args...; kw...)
 
   # create the object and do the plotting
   subplt = Subplot(nothing, plts, pkg, length(layout), 0, layout, d, false, false, false, (r,c) -> (nothing,nothing))
-  subplot!(subplt, args...; d...)
+  subplot!(subplt, args...; kw...)
 
   subplt
 end
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ end
 
 function _preprocess_subplot(subplt::Subplot, d::KW, args = ())
   validateSubplotSupported()
-  preprocessArgs!(d)
+  userkw = preprocessArgs!(d)
 
   # for plotting recipes, swap out the args and update the parameter dictionary
-  args = _apply_recipe(d, args...; d..., issubplot=true)
+  args = _apply_recipe(d, userkw, args...; issubplot=true)
   _add_markershape(d)
 
   dumpdict(d, "After subplot! preprocessing")