diff --git a/examples/overlaysExample.js b/examples/overlaysExample.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d297e2525d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/overlaysExample.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+//
+//  overlaysExample.js
+//  hifi
+//
+//  Created by Brad Hefta-Gaub on 2/14/14.
+//  Copyright (c) 2014 HighFidelity, Inc. All rights reserved.
+//
+//  This is an example script that demonstrates use of the Overlays class
+//
+//
+
+    /*
+    _testOverlayA.init(_glWidget, QString("https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/images/hifi-interface-tools.svg"), 
+            QRect(100,100,62,40), QRect(0,0,62,40));
+    xColor red = { 255, 0, 0 };
+    _testOverlayA.setBackgroundColor(red);
+    _testOverlayB.init(_glWidget, QString("https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/images/hifi-interface-tools.svg"), 
+            QRect(170,100,62,40), QRect(0,80,62,40));
+    */
+
+var toolA = Overlays.addOverlay({
+                    x: 100,
+                    y: 100,
+                    width: 62,
+                    height: 40,
+                    subImage: { x: 0, y: 0, width: 62, height: 40 },
+                    imageURL: "https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/highfidelity-public/images/hifi-interface-tools.svg",
+                    backgroundColor: { red: 255, green: 0, blue: 255},
+                    alpha: 1.0
+                });
+
+function scriptEnding() {
+    Overlays.deleteOverlay(toolA);
+}
+Script.scriptEnding.connect(scriptEnding);
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index e95f8b5f7f..4da0a35279 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -289,6 +289,9 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, timeval &startup_time) :
     _sixenseManager.setFilter(Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::FilterSixense));
     
     checkVersion();
+    
+    _overlays.init(_glWidget); // do this before scripts load
+
 
     // do this as late as possible so that all required subsystems are inialized
     loadScripts();
@@ -1870,14 +1873,13 @@ void Application::init() {
 
     _audio.init(_glWidget);
 
-    _testOverlayA.init(_glWidget, QString("./resources/images/hifi-interface-tools.svg"), QRect(100,100,62,40), QRect(0,0,62,40));
-    _testOverlayB.init(_glWidget, QString("./resources/images/hifi-interface-tools.svg"), QRect(170,100,62,40), QRect(0,80,62,40));
-
     _rearMirrorTools = new RearMirrorTools(_glWidget, _mirrorViewRect, _settings);
     connect(_rearMirrorTools, SIGNAL(closeView()), SLOT(closeMirrorView()));
     connect(_rearMirrorTools, SIGNAL(restoreView()), SLOT(restoreMirrorView()));
     connect(_rearMirrorTools, SIGNAL(shrinkView()), SLOT(shrinkMirrorView()));
     connect(_rearMirrorTools, SIGNAL(resetView()), SLOT(resetSensors()));
+    
+    
 }
 
 void Application::closeMirrorView() {
@@ -2986,8 +2988,7 @@ void Application::displayOverlay() {
         _pieMenu.render();
     }
 
-    _testOverlayA.render(); //
-    _testOverlayB.render(); //
+    _overlays.render();
 
     glPopMatrix();
 }
@@ -4066,6 +4067,8 @@ void Application::loadScript(const QString& fileNameString) {
     scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("Camera", cameraScriptable);
     connect(scriptEngine, SIGNAL(finished(const QString&)), cameraScriptable, SLOT(deleteLater()));
 
+    scriptEngine->registerGlobalObject("Overlays", &_overlays);
+
     QThread* workerThread = new QThread(this);
 
     // when the worker thread is started, call our engine's run..
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index c8541aee29..b2a66d0bf8 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 #include "FileLogger.h"
 #include "ParticleTreeRenderer.h"
 #include "ControllerScriptingInterface.h"
-#include "ui/ImageOverlay.h"
+#include "ui/Overlays.h"
 
 
 class QAction;
@@ -490,8 +490,7 @@ private:
     
     TouchEvent _lastTouchEvent;
     
-    ImageOverlay _testOverlayA;
-    ImageOverlay _testOverlayB;
+    Overlays _overlays;
 };
 
 #endif /* defined(__interface__Application__) */
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
index 33c139089d..b85f05f557 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+//
+//  ImageOverlay.cpp
+//  interface
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2014 High Fidelity, Inc. All rights reserved.
+//
+
+
 #include "ImageOverlay.h"
 
 #include <QSvgRenderer>
@@ -7,17 +15,24 @@
 
 ImageOverlay::ImageOverlay() :
     _parent(NULL),
-    _textureID(0)
+    _textureID(0),
+    _alpha(DEFAULT_ALPHA),
+    _backgroundColor(DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR),
+    _renderImage(false),
+    _textureBound(false)
 {
-}    
+}
 
-void ImageOverlay::init(QGLWidget* parent, const QString& filename, const QRect& drawAt, const QRect& fromImage) {
+void ImageOverlay::init(QGLWidget* parent) {
+    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::init() parent=" << parent;
     _parent = parent;
-    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::init()... filename=" << filename;
+    
+    /*
+    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::init()... url=" << url;
     _bounds = drawAt;
     _fromImage = fromImage;
-    _textureImage = QImage(filename);
-    _textureID = _parent->bindTexture(_textureImage);
+    setImageURL(url);
+    */
 }
 
 
@@ -28,17 +43,43 @@ ImageOverlay::~ImageOverlay() {
     }
 }
 
+void ImageOverlay::setImageURL(const QUrl& url) {
+    // TODO: are we creating too many QNetworkAccessManager() when multiple calls to setImageURL are made?
+    QNetworkAccessManager* manager = new QNetworkAccessManager(this);
+    connect(manager, SIGNAL(finished(QNetworkReply*)), this, SLOT(replyFinished(QNetworkReply*)));
+    manager->get(QNetworkRequest(url));
+}
+
+void ImageOverlay::replyFinished(QNetworkReply* reply) {
+    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::replyFinished() reply=" << reply;
+    // replace our byte array with the downloaded data
+    QByteArray rawData = reply->readAll();
+    _textureImage.loadFromData(rawData);
+    _renderImage = true;
+    
+    // TODO: handle setting image multiple times, how do we manage releasing the bound texture
+    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::replyFinished() about to call _parent->bindTexture(_textureImage)... _parent" << _parent; 
+
+
+    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::replyFinished _textureID=" << _textureID 
+        << "_textureImage.width()=" << _textureImage.width()
+        << "_textureImage.height()=" << _textureImage.height();
+}
 
 void ImageOverlay::render() {
-qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::render _textureID=" << _textureID << "_bounds=" << _bounds;
+    //qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::render _textureID=" << _textureID << "_bounds=" << _bounds;
+    
+    if (_renderImage && !_textureBound) {
+        _textureID = _parent->bindTexture(_textureImage);
+        _textureBound = true;
+    }
 
-
-    bool renderImage = false;
-    if (renderImage) {
+    if (_renderImage) {
         glEnable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
         glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, _textureID);
     }
-    glColor4f(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.7f); // ???
+    const float MAX_COLOR = 255;
+    glColor4f((_backgroundColor.red / MAX_COLOR), (_backgroundColor.green / MAX_COLOR), (_backgroundColor.blue / MAX_COLOR), _alpha);
 
     float imageWidth = _textureImage.width();
     float imageHeight = _textureImage.height();
@@ -47,23 +88,84 @@ qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::render _textureID=" << _textureID << "_bounds=" << _b
     float w = _fromImage.width() / imageWidth; // ?? is this what we want? not sure
     float h = _fromImage.height() / imageHeight;
 
-    qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::render x=" << x << "y=" << y << "w="<<w << "h="<<h << "(1.0f - y)=" << (1.0f - y);
+    //qDebug() << "ImageOverlay::render x=" << x << "y=" << y << "w="<<w << "h="<<h << "(1.0f - y)=" << (1.0f - y);
     
     glBegin(GL_QUADS);
-        //glTexCoord2f(x, 1.0f - y);
+        if (_renderImage) {
+            glTexCoord2f(x, 1.0f - y);
+        }
         glVertex2f(_bounds.left(), _bounds.top());
 
-        //glTexCoord2f(x + w, 1.0f - y);
+        if (_renderImage) {
+            glTexCoord2f(x + w, 1.0f - y);
+        }
         glVertex2f(_bounds.right(), _bounds.top());
 
-        //glTexCoord2f(x + w, 1.0f - (y + h));
+        if (_renderImage) {
+            glTexCoord2f(x + w, 1.0f - (y + h));
+        }
         glVertex2f(_bounds.right(), _bounds.bottom());
 
-        //glTexCoord2f(x, 1.0f - (y + h));
+        if (_renderImage) {
+            glTexCoord2f(x, 1.0f - (y + h));
+        }
         glVertex2f(_bounds.left(), _bounds.bottom());
     glEnd();
-    if (renderImage) {
+    if (_renderImage) {
         glDisable(GL_TEXTURE_2D);
     }
 }
 
+// TODO: handle only setting the included values...
+QScriptValue ImageOverlay::getProperties() {
+    return QScriptValue();
+}
+
+// TODO: handle only setting the included values...
+void ImageOverlay::setProperties(const QScriptValue& properties) {
+    QScriptValue bounds = properties.property("bounds");
+    if (bounds.isValid()) {
+        QRect boundsRect;
+        boundsRect.setX(bounds.property("x").toVariant().toInt());
+        boundsRect.setY(bounds.property("y").toVariant().toInt());
+        boundsRect.setWidth(bounds.property("width").toVariant().toInt());
+        boundsRect.setHeight(bounds.property("height").toVariant().toInt());
+        setBounds(boundsRect);
+    } else {
+        setX(properties.property("x").toVariant().toInt());
+        setY(properties.property("y").toVariant().toInt());
+        setWidth(properties.property("width").toVariant().toInt());
+        setHeight(properties.property("height").toVariant().toInt());
+    }
+    QScriptValue subImageBounds = properties.property("subImage");
+    if (subImageBounds.isValid()) {
+        QRect subImageRect;
+        subImageRect.setX(subImageBounds.property("x").toVariant().toInt());
+        subImageRect.setY(subImageBounds.property("y").toVariant().toInt());
+        subImageRect.setWidth(subImageBounds.property("width").toVariant().toInt());
+        subImageRect.setHeight(subImageBounds.property("height").toVariant().toInt());
+        setClipFromSource(subImageRect);
+        qDebug() << "set subImage to " << getClipFromSource();
+    }    
+
+    QScriptValue imageURL = properties.property("imageURL");
+    if (imageURL.isValid()) {
+        setImageURL(imageURL.toVariant().toString());
+    }
+
+    QScriptValue color = properties.property("backgroundColor");
+    if (color.isValid()) {
+        QScriptValue red = color.property("red");
+        QScriptValue green = color.property("green");
+        QScriptValue blue = color.property("blue");
+        if (red.isValid() && green.isValid() && blue.isValid()) {
+            _backgroundColor.red = red.toVariant().toInt();
+            _backgroundColor.green = green.toVariant().toInt();
+            _backgroundColor.blue = blue.toVariant().toInt();
+        }
+    }
+
+    setAlpha(properties.property("alpha").toVariant().toFloat());
+}
+
+
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.h b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.h
index a01c602334..d6fd289fdc 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ImageOverlay.h
@@ -8,17 +8,21 @@
 #ifndef __interface__ImageOverlay__
 #define __interface__ImageOverlay__
 
-#include <QImage>
 #include <QGLWidget>
+#include <QImage>
+#include <QNetworkAccessManager>
+#include <QNetworkReply>
 #include <QRect>
+#include <QScriptValue>
 #include <QString>
 #include <QUrl>
 
 #include <SharedUtil.h>
 
 #include "InterfaceConfig.h"
-//#include "Util.h"
 
+const xColor DEFAULT_BACKGROUND_COLOR = { 255, 255, 255 };
+const float DEFAULT_ALPHA = 0.7f;
 
 class ImageOverlay : QObject {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -34,9 +38,10 @@ class ImageOverlay : QObject {
 public:
     ImageOverlay();
     ~ImageOverlay();
-    void init(QGLWidget* parent, const QString& filename, const QRect& drawAt, const QRect& fromImage);
+    void init(QGLWidget* parent);
     void render();
 
+public slots:
     // getters
     int getX() const { return _bounds.x(); }
     int getY() const { return _bounds.y(); }
@@ -47,19 +52,25 @@ public:
     const xColor& getBackgroundColor() const { return _backgroundColor; }
     float getAlpha() const { return _alpha; }
     const QUrl& getImageURL() const { return _imageURL; }
+    QScriptValue getProperties();
 
     // setters
-    void setX(int x) { }
-    void setY(int y) { }
-    void setWidth(int width) { }
-    void setHeight(int height) { }
-    void setBounds(const QRect& bounds) { }
-    void setClipFromSource(const QRect& bounds) { }
-    void setBackgroundColor(const xColor& color) { }
-    void setAlpha(float) { }
-    void setImageURL(const QUrl& ) { }
+    void setX(int x) { _bounds.setX(x); }
+    void setY(int y) { _bounds.setY(y);  }
+    void setWidth(int width) { _bounds.setWidth(width); }
+    void setHeight(int height) {  _bounds.setHeight(height); }
+    void setBounds(const QRect& bounds) { _bounds = bounds; }
+    void setClipFromSource(const QRect& bounds) { _fromImage = bounds; }
+    void setBackgroundColor(const xColor& color) { _backgroundColor = color; }
+    void setAlpha(float alpha) { _alpha = alpha; }
+    void setImageURL(const QUrl& url);
+    void setProperties(const QScriptValue& properties);
+
+private slots:
+    void replyFinished(QNetworkReply* reply); // we actually want to hide this...
 
 private:
+
     QUrl _imageURL;
     QGLWidget* _parent;
     QImage _textureImage;
@@ -68,6 +79,9 @@ private:
     QRect _fromImage; // where from in the image to sample
     float _alpha;
     xColor _backgroundColor;
+    bool _renderImage;
+    bool _textureBound;
 };
 
+ 
 #endif /* defined(__interface__ImageOverlay__) */
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..438e94ad60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+//
+//  Overlays.cpp
+//  interface
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2014 High Fidelity, Inc. All rights reserved.
+//
+
+
+#include "Overlays.h"
+
+unsigned int Overlays::_nextOverlayID = 0;
+
+Overlays::Overlays() {
+}
+
+Overlays::~Overlays() {
+}
+
+void Overlays::init(QGLWidget* parent) {
+    qDebug() << "Overlays::init() parent=" << parent;
+    _parent = parent;
+}
+
+void Overlays::render() {
+    foreach(ImageOverlay* thisOverlay, _imageOverlays) {
+        thisOverlay->render();
+    }
+}
+
+// TODO: make multi-threaded safe
+unsigned int Overlays::addOverlay(const QScriptValue& properties) {
+    unsigned int thisID = _nextOverlayID;
+    _nextOverlayID++;
+    ImageOverlay* thisOverlay = new ImageOverlay();
+    thisOverlay->init(_parent);
+    thisOverlay->setProperties(properties);
+    _imageOverlays[thisID] = thisOverlay;
+    return thisID; 
+}
+
+QScriptValue Overlays::getOverlayProperties(unsigned int id) {
+    if (!_imageOverlays.contains(id)) {
+        return QScriptValue();
+    }
+    ImageOverlay* thisOverlay = _imageOverlays[id];
+    return thisOverlay->getProperties();
+}
+
+// TODO: make multi-threaded safe
+bool Overlays::editOverlay(unsigned int id, const QScriptValue& properties) {
+    if (!_imageOverlays.contains(id)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    ImageOverlay* thisOverlay = _imageOverlays[id];
+    thisOverlay->setProperties(properties);
+    return true;
+}
+
+// TODO: make multi-threaded safe
+void Overlays::deleteOverlay(unsigned int id) {
+    if (_imageOverlays.contains(id)) {
+        _imageOverlays.erase(_imageOverlays.find(id));
+    
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b9f6eb8be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/src/ui/Overlays.h
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+//
+//  Overlays.h
+//  interface
+//
+//  Copyright (c) 2014 High Fidelity, Inc. All rights reserved.
+//
+
+#ifndef __interface__Overlays__
+#define __interface__Overlays__
+
+/**
+#include <QGLWidget>
+#include <QImage>
+#include <QNetworkAccessManager>
+#include <QNetworkReply>
+#include <QRect>
+#include <QString>
+#include <QUrl>
+
+#include <SharedUtil.h>
+
+#include "InterfaceConfig.h"
+**/
+
+#include <QScriptValue>
+
+#include "ImageOverlay.h"
+
+class Overlays : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    Overlays();
+    ~Overlays();
+    void init(QGLWidget* parent);
+    void render();
+
+public slots:
+    /// adds an overlay with the specific properties
+    unsigned int addOverlay(const QScriptValue& properties);
+
+    /// gets the current overlay properties for a specific overlay
+    QScriptValue getOverlayProperties(unsigned int id);
+
+    /// edits an overlay updating only the included properties, will return the identified OverlayID in case of
+    /// successful edit, if the input id is for an unknown overlay this function will have no effect
+    bool editOverlay(unsigned int id, const QScriptValue& properties);
+
+    /// deletes a particle
+    void deleteOverlay(unsigned int id);
+
+private:
+    QMap<unsigned int, ImageOverlay*> _imageOverlays;
+    static unsigned int _nextOverlayID;
+    QGLWidget* _parent;
+};
+
+ 
+#endif /* defined(__interface__Overlays__) */
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeScriptingInterface.cpp
index 89bf5ceb62..1ed82564b6 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ OctreeScriptingInterface::OctreeScriptingInterface(OctreeEditPacketSender* packe
 }
 
 OctreeScriptingInterface::~OctreeScriptingInterface() {
-qDebug() << "OctreeScriptingInterface::~OctreeScriptingInterface() this=" << this;
     cleanupManagedObjects();
 }