diff --git a/shell/home/FriendsView.py b/shell/home/FriendsView.py
index 4f0f365d..5f730a7f 100644
--- a/shell/home/FriendsView.py
+++ b/shell/home/FriendsView.py
@@ -7,13 +7,12 @@ import Theme
 
 class FriendIcon(IconItem):
 	def __init__(self, friend):
-		IconItem.__init__(self, 'stock-buddy', friend.get_color(), 48)
-
+		IconItem.__init__(self, icon_name='stock-buddy',
+						  color=friend.get_color(), size=48,
+						  x=random.random() * 1100,
+						  y=random.random() * 800)
 		self._friend = friend
 
-		self.set_property('x', random.random() * 1100)
-		self.set_property('y', random.random() * 800)
-
 	def get_friend(self):
 		return self._friend
 
diff --git a/shell/home/HomeView.py b/shell/home/HomeView.py
index e1c6904e..d44bbeba 100644
--- a/shell/home/HomeView.py
+++ b/shell/home/HomeView.py
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ class Model(goocanvas.CanvasModelSimple):
 		root.add_child(tasks)
 
 		profile = sugar.conf.get_profile()
-		me = IconItem('stock-buddy', profile.get_color(), 150)
+		me = IconItem(icon_name = 'stock-buddy',
+					  color = profile.get_color(), size = 150)
 		me.translate(600 - (me.get_property('width') / 2),
 					 450 - (me.get_property('height') / 2))
 		root.add_child(me)
diff --git a/shell/home/MeshView.py b/shell/home/MeshView.py
index d5c43277..fab4f289 100644
--- a/shell/home/MeshView.py
+++ b/shell/home/MeshView.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ class ActivityItem(IconItem):
 		info = registry.get_activity(activity.get_type())
 		icon_name = info.get_icon()
 
-		IconItem.__init__(self, icon_name, activity.get_color(), 48)
+		IconItem.__init__(self, icon_name=icon_name,
+						  color=activity.get_color(), size=48)
 
 		self._activity = activity
 
diff --git a/shell/panel/VerbsPanel.py b/shell/panel/VerbsPanel.py
index 4c487691..ed4beb12 100644
--- a/shell/panel/VerbsPanel.py
+++ b/shell/panel/VerbsPanel.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ class ActivityItem(IconItem):
 		if not icon_name:
 			act_type = activity.get_default_type()
 			raise RuntimeError("Actvity %s did not have an icon!" % act_type)
-		IconItem.__init__(self, icon_name,
-						  IconColor('white'), size)
+		IconItem.__init__(self, icon_name=icon_name,
+						  color=IconColor('white'), size=size)
 		self._activity = activity
 
 	def get_activity_id(self):
diff --git a/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
index d402b5f6..f94be4c3 100644
--- a/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
+++ b/sugar/canvas/IconItem.py
@@ -51,9 +51,35 @@ class IconCache(gobject.GObject):
 			return icon
 
 class IconItem(goocanvas.Image):
-	def __init__(self, icon_name, color, size, **kwargs):
+	__gproperties__ = {
+		'icon-name': (str, None, None, None,
+					  gobject.PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+					  gobject.PARAM_READWRITE),
+		'color'    : (object, None, None,
+					  gobject.PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+					  gobject.PARAM_READWRITE),
+		'size'     : (int, None, None,
+					  0, 1024, 24,
+					  gobject.PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+					  gobject.PARAM_READWRITE)
+	}
+
+	def do_set_property(self, pspec, value):
+		if pspec.name == 'icon-name':
+			self._icon_name = value
+		elif pspec.name == 'color':
+			self._color = value
+		elif pspec.name == 'size':
+			self._size = value
+
+	def __init__(self, **kwargs):
 		goocanvas.Image.__init__(self, **kwargs)
 
-		icon_cache = IconCache()
-		pixbuf = icon_cache.get_icon(icon_name, color, size)
-		self.set_property('pixbuf', pixbuf)
+		if self._color:
+			cache = IconCache()
+			pixbuf = cache.get_icon(self._icon_name, self._color, self._size)
+			self.props.pixbuf = pixbuf
+		else:
+			theme = gtk.icon_theme_get_default()
+			pixbuf = theme.load_icon(self._icon_name, self._size, 0)
+			self.props.pixbuf = pixbuf