diff --git a/shell/HomeWindow.py b/shell/HomeWindow.py
index ee567818..1609fe78 100644
--- a/shell/HomeWindow.py
+++ b/shell/HomeWindow.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import gtk
 import goocanvas
 
+from sugar.canvas.IconItem import IconItem
+
 class Model(goocanvas.CanvasModelSimple):
 	def __init__(self):
 		goocanvas.CanvasModelSimple.__init__(self)
@@ -9,7 +11,10 @@ class Model(goocanvas.CanvasModelSimple):
 
 		item = goocanvas.Rect(x=0, y=0, width=693, height=520,
 							  fill_color="red")
+		root.add_child(item)
 
+		item = IconItem('buddy')
+		#item.set_color('blue')
 		root.add_child(item)
 
 class HomeWindow(gtk.Window):
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54697b67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import re
+
+import gtk
+import goocanvas
+
+class IconItem(goocanvas.Image):
+	def __init__(self, icon_name):
+		goocanvas.Image.__init__(self)
+
+		self._icon_name = icon_name
+		self._color = None
+
+		# FIXME changing the icon color will cause
+		# the svg to be read in memory and rendered
+		# two times.
+		self._update_pixbuf()
+
+	def set_parent(self, parent):
+		goocanvas.Image.set_parent(self, parent)
+
+	def set_color(self, color):
+		self._color = color
+		self._update_pixbuf()
+
+	def _update_pixbuf(self):
+		theme = gtk.icon_theme_get_default()
+		info = theme.lookup_icon(self._icon_name, 48, 0)
+		icon_file = open(info.get_filename(), 'r')
+		data = icon_file.read()
+		icon_file.close()
+
+		if self._color != None:
+			style = '.icon-color {fill: %s;}' % self._color
+			data = re.sub('\.icon-color \{.*\}', style, data)
+
+		loader = gtk.gdk.pixbuf_loader_new_with_mime_type('image/svg+xml')
+		loader.write(data)
+		loader.close()
+
+		self.set_property('pixbuf', loader.get_pixbuf())
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/Makefile.am b/sugar/canvas/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9120ba25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sugar/canvas/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+sugardir = $(pythondir)/sugar/canvas
+sugar_PYTHON =			\
+	__init__.py		\
+	IconItem.py
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/__init__.py b/sugar/canvas/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b