diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/AvatarPackager.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/AvatarPackager.qml
index 46fd98daab..686bdd28da 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/AvatarPackager.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/AvatarPackager.qml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Windows.ScrollingWindow {
             id: modalOverlay
             anchors.fill: parent
             z: 20
-            color: "#aa031b33"
+            color: "#a15d5d5d"
             visible: false
 
             // This mouse area captures the cursor events while the modalOverlay is active
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Windows.ScrollingWindow {
                 },
                 State {
                     name: AvatarPackagerState.project
-                    PropertyChanges { target: avatarPackagerHeader; title: AvatarPackagerCore.currentAvatarProject.name }
+                    PropertyChanges { target: avatarPackagerHeader; title: AvatarPackagerCore.currentAvatarProject.name; canRename: true }
                     PropertyChanges { target: avatarProject; visible: true }
                     PropertyChanges { target: avatarPackagerFooter; content: avatarProject.footer }
                 },
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ Windows.ScrollingWindow {
                             text: qsTr("New Project")
                             colorScheme: root.colorScheme
                             onClicked: {
+                                createAvatarProject.clearInputs();
                                 avatarPackager.state = AvatarPackagerState.createProject;
                             }
                         }
@@ -173,7 +174,10 @@ Windows.ScrollingWindow {
                             }
                         }
                     }
+
+
                     Flow {
+                        visible: AvatarPackagerCore.recentProjects.length === 0
                         anchors {
                             fill: parent
                             topMargin: 18
@@ -190,6 +194,27 @@ Windows.ScrollingWindow {
                             color: "white"
                             text: qsTr("To learn more about using this tool, visit our docs")
                         }
+
+
+                    }
+
+                    Column {
+                        visible: AvatarPackagerCore.recentProjects.length > 0
+                        anchors {
+                            fill: parent
+                            topMargin: 18
+                            leftMargin: 16
+                            rightMargin: 16
+                        }
+                        spacing: 10
+
+                        Repeater {
+                            model: AvatarPackagerCore.recentProjects
+                            AvatarProjectCard {
+                                title: modelData.name
+                                path: modelData.path
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarPackagerHeader.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarPackagerHeader.qml
index 84096e352c..663d4d0f3a 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarPackagerHeader.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarPackagerHeader.qml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Rectangle {
     property alias title: title.text
     property alias faqEnabled: faq.visible
     property alias backButtonEnabled: back.visible
+    property bool canRename: false;
     signal backButtonClicked
 
     RalewaySemiBold {
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectCard.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectCard.qml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..be1363850e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectCard.qml
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+import QtQuick 2.0
+
+import "../../controlsUit" 1.0 as HifiControls
+import "../../stylesUit" 1.0
+
+
+Item {
+    id: projectCard
+    height: 80
+    width: parent.width
+
+    property alias title: title.text
+    property alias path: path.text
+
+    property color textColor: "#E3E3E3"
+    property color hoverTextColor: "#121212"
+    property color pressedTextColor: "#121212"
+
+    property color backgroundColor: "#121212"
+    property color hoverBackgroundColor: "#E3E3E3"
+    property color pressedBackgroundColor: "#6A6A6A"
+
+    state: mouseArea.pressed ? "pressed" : (mouseArea.containsMouse ? "hover" : "normal")
+    states: [
+        State {
+            name: "normal"
+            PropertyChanges { target: background; color: backgroundColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: title; color: textColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: path; color: textColor }
+        },
+        State {
+            name: "hover"
+            PropertyChanges { target: background; color: hoverBackgroundColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: title; color: hoverTextColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: path; color: hoverTextColor }
+        },
+        State {
+            name: "pressed"
+            PropertyChanges { target: background; color: pressedBackgroundColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: title; color: pressedTextColor }
+            PropertyChanges { target: path; color: pressedTextColor }
+        }
+    ]
+
+    Rectangle {
+        id: background
+        width: parent.width
+        height: parent.height
+        color: "#121212"
+        radius: 4
+
+        RalewayBold {
+            id: title
+            anchors {
+                top: parent.top
+                topMargin: 13
+                left: parent.left
+                leftMargin: 16
+            }
+            text: "<title missing>"
+            size: 16
+        }
+
+        RalewayRegular {
+            id: path
+            anchors {
+                top: title.bottom
+                left: parent.left
+                leftMargin: 32
+            }
+            text: "<path missing>"
+            size: 20
+        }
+
+        MouseArea {
+            id: mouseArea
+            anchors.fill: parent
+            hoverEnabled: true
+            onClicked: {
+                AvatarPackagerCore.openAvatarProject(path.text);
+                avatarPackager.state = "project";
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectUpload.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectUpload.qml
index 8b80df3d95..e71d8a4f2f 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectUpload.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/AvatarProjectUpload.qml
@@ -178,4 +178,4 @@ Item {
         }
     }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/CreateAvatarProject.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/CreateAvatarProject.qml
index 41d33e6058..a5d335feba 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/CreateAvatarProject.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/CreateAvatarProject.qml
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ Item {
             height: 30
             width: 133
             text: qsTr("Create")
+            enabled: false
             onClicked: {
                 if (!AvatarPackagerCore.createAvatarProject(projectLocation.text, name.text, avatarModel.text, textureFolder.text)) {
-                    Window.alert('Failed to create project')
+                    Window.alert('Failed to create project');
                     return;
                 }
                 avatarPackager.state = AvatarPackagerState.project;
@@ -37,21 +38,39 @@ Item {
     height: parent.height
     width: parent.width
 
+    function clearInputs() {
+        name.text = projectLocation.text = avatarModel.text = textureFolder.text = "";
+    }
 
-    property var errorMessages: QtObject {
-        readonly property string fileExists: "A folder with that name already exists at that location. Please choose a different project name or location."
+    function checkErrors() {
+        let newErrorMessageText = "";
+
+        let projectName = name.text;
+        let projectFolder = projectLocation.text;
+
+        let hasProjectNameError = projectName !== "" && projectFolder !== "" && !AvatarPackagerCore.isValidNewProjectName(projectFolder, projectName);
+
+        if (hasProjectNameError) {
+            newErrorMessageText =  "A folder with that name already exists at that location. Please choose a different project name or location.";
+        }
+
+        name.error = projectLocation.error = hasProjectNameError;
+        errorMessage.text = newErrorMessageText;
+        createButton.enabled = newErrorMessageText === "" && requiredFieldsFilledIn();
+    }
+
+    function requiredFieldsFilledIn() {
+        return name.text !== "" && projectLocation.text !== "" && avatarModel.text !== "";
     }
 
     RalewayRegular {
         id: errorMessage
         visible: text !== ""
         text: ""
-        color: "#EA4C5F";
+        color: "#EA4C5F"
         wrapMode: Text.WordWrap
         size: 20
         anchors {
-            top: createAvatarColumns.bottom
-            bottom: parent.bottom
             left: parent.left
             right: parent.right
         }
@@ -59,6 +78,7 @@ Item {
 
     Column {
         id: createAvatarColumns
+        anchors.top: errorMessage.visible ? errorMessage.bottom : parent.top
         anchors.left: parent.left
         anchors.right: parent.right
         anchors.margins: 10
@@ -71,6 +91,7 @@ Item {
             id: name
             label: "Name"
             colorScheme: root.colorScheme
+            onTextChanged: checkErrors()
         }
 
         ProjectInputControl {
@@ -81,9 +102,7 @@ Item {
             browseFolder: true
             browseDir: text !== "" ? fileDialogHelper.pathToUrl(text) : createAvatarColumns.defaultFileBrowserPath
             browseTitle: "Project Location"
-            onTextChanged: {
-                //TODO: valid folder? Does project with name exist here already?
-            }
+            onTextChanged: checkErrors()
         }
 
         ProjectInputControl {
@@ -95,25 +114,18 @@ Item {
             browseDir: text !== "" ? fileDialogHelper.pathToUrl(text) : createAvatarColumns.defaultFileBrowserPath
             browseFilter: "Avatar Model File (*.fbx)"
             browseTitle: "Open Avatar Model (.fbx)"
-            onTextChanged: {
-                if (avatarModel.text !== "") {
-                    textureFolder.browseDir = fileDialogHelper.pathToUrl(avatarModel.text.split('/')[0]);
-                }
-            }
+            onTextChanged: checkErrors()
         }
 
         ProjectInputControl {
             id: textureFolder
-            label: "Specify Texture Folder"
+            label: "Specify Texture Folder <i> - optional</i>"
             colorScheme: root.colorScheme
             browseEnabled: true
             browseFolder: true
             browseDir: text !== "" ? fileDialogHelper.pathToUrl(text) : createAvatarColumns.defaultFileBrowserPath
             browseTitle: "Texture Folder"
-            onTextChanged: {
-                //TODO: valid folder?
-
-            }
+            onTextChanged: checkErrors()
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/ProjectInputControl.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/ProjectInputControl.qml
index 664acd6f22..2ac4a37d02 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/ProjectInputControl.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/avatarPackager/ProjectInputControl.qml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Column {
     property string browseTitle: "Open file"
     property string browseDir: ""
     property alias text: input.text
+    property alias error: input.error
 
     property int colorScheme
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.cpp
index c7f15d616c..d8aadeb4e0 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ AvatarPackager::AvatarPackager() {
         qRegisterMetaType<AvatarProject*>();
     });
 
+    recentProjectsFromVariantList(_recentProjectsSetting.get());
+
     QDir defaultProjectsDir(AvatarProject::getDefaultProjectsPath());
     defaultProjectsDir.mkpath(".");
 }
@@ -50,17 +52,46 @@ AvatarProject* AvatarPackager::openAvatarProject(const QString& avatarProjectFST
         _currentAvatarProject->deleteLater();
     }
     _currentAvatarProject = AvatarProject::openAvatarProject(avatarProjectFSTPath);
+    if (_currentAvatarProject) {
+        addRecentProject(avatarProjectFSTPath, _currentAvatarProject->getProjectName());
+    }
     qDebug() << "_currentAvatarProject has" << (QQmlEngine::objectOwnership(_currentAvatarProject) == QQmlEngine::CppOwnership ? "CPP" : "JS") << "OWNERSHIP";
     QQmlEngine::setObjectOwnership(_currentAvatarProject, QQmlEngine::CppOwnership);
     emit avatarProjectChanged();
     return _currentAvatarProject;
 }
 
+void AvatarPackager::addRecentProject(QString fstPath, QString projectName) {
+    const int MAX_RECENT_PROJECTS = 5;
+    auto removeProjects = QVector<RecentAvatarProject>();
+    for (auto project : _recentProjects) {
+        if (project.getProjectFSTPath() == fstPath) {
+            removeProjects.append(project);
+        }
+    }
+    for (const auto removeProject : removeProjects) {
+        _recentProjects.removeOne(removeProject);
+    }
+
+    RecentAvatarProject newRecentProject = RecentAvatarProject(projectName, fstPath);
+    _recentProjects.prepend(newRecentProject);
+
+    while (_recentProjects.size() > MAX_RECENT_PROJECTS) {
+        _recentProjects.pop_back();
+    }
+
+    _recentProjectsSetting.set(recentProjectsToVariantList());
+    emit recentProjectsChanged();
+}
+
 AvatarProject* AvatarPackager::createAvatarProject(const QString& projectsFolder, const QString& avatarProjectName, const QString& avatarModelPath, const QString& textureFolder) {
     if (_currentAvatarProject) {
         _currentAvatarProject->deleteLater();
     }
     _currentAvatarProject = AvatarProject::createAvatarProject(projectsFolder, avatarProjectName, avatarModelPath, textureFolder);
+    if (_currentAvatarProject) {
+        addRecentProject(_currentAvatarProject->getFSTPath(), _currentAvatarProject->getProjectName());
+    }
     qDebug() << "_currentAvatarProject has" << (QQmlEngine::objectOwnership(_currentAvatarProject) == QQmlEngine::CppOwnership ? "CPP" : "JS") << "OWNERSHIP";
     QQmlEngine::setObjectOwnership(_currentAvatarProject, QQmlEngine::CppOwnership);
     emit avatarProjectChanged();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.h b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.h
index 13a42a73d0..8cf641dbaa 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarPackager.h
@@ -19,27 +19,95 @@
 #include "FileDialogHelper.h"
 
 #include "avatar/AvatarProject.h"
+#include "SettingHandle.h"
+
+class RecentAvatarProject {
+public:
+    RecentAvatarProject() {
+        
+    }
+
+    RecentAvatarProject(QString projectName, QString projectFSTPath) {
+        _projectName = projectName;
+        _projectFSTPath = projectFSTPath;
+    }
+    RecentAvatarProject(const RecentAvatarProject& other) {
+        _projectName = other._projectName;
+        _projectFSTPath = other._projectFSTPath;
+    }
+
+    QString getProjectName() const { return _projectName; }
+
+    QString getProjectFSTPath() const { return _projectFSTPath; }
+
+    bool operator==(const RecentAvatarProject& other) const {
+        return _projectName == other._projectName && _projectFSTPath == other._projectFSTPath;
+    }
+
+private:
+    QString _projectName;
+    QString _projectFSTPath;
+
+};
+
+inline QDebug operator<<(QDebug debug, const RecentAvatarProject& recentAvatarProject) {
+    debug << "[recentAvatarProject:" << recentAvatarProject.getProjectFSTPath() << "]";
+    return debug;
+}
+
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(RecentAvatarProject);
+
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QVector<RecentAvatarProject>);
 
 class AvatarPackager : public QObject, public Dependency {
     Q_OBJECT
     SINGLETON_DEPENDENCY
     Q_PROPERTY(AvatarProject* currentAvatarProject READ getAvatarProject NOTIFY avatarProjectChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString AVATAR_PROJECTS_PATH READ getAvatarProjectsPath CONSTANT)
+    Q_PROPERTY(QVariantList recentProjects READ getRecentProjects NOTIFY recentProjectsChanged)
 public: 
     AvatarPackager();
     bool open();
 
     Q_INVOKABLE AvatarProject* createAvatarProject(const QString& projectsFolder, const QString& avatarProjectName, const QString& avatarModelPath, const QString& textureFolder);
     Q_INVOKABLE AvatarProject* openAvatarProject(const QString& avatarProjectFSTPath);
+    Q_INVOKABLE bool isValidNewProjectName(const QString& projectPath, const QString& projectName) { return AvatarProject::isValidNewProjectName(projectPath, projectName); }
 
 signals:
     void avatarProjectChanged();
+    void recentProjectsChanged();
 
 private:
     Q_INVOKABLE AvatarProject* getAvatarProject() const { return _currentAvatarProject; };
     Q_INVOKABLE QString getAvatarProjectsPath() const { return AvatarProject::getDefaultProjectsPath(); }
+    Q_INVOKABLE QVariantList getRecentProjects() { return recentProjectsToVariantList(); }
+
+    void addRecentProject(QString fstPath, QString projectName);
 
     AvatarProject* _currentAvatarProject{ nullptr };
+    QVector<RecentAvatarProject> _recentProjects;
+    QVariantList recentProjectsToVariantList() {
+        QVariantList result;
+        for (const auto& project : _recentProjects) {
+            QVariantMap projectVariant;
+            projectVariant.insert("name", project.getProjectName());
+            projectVariant.insert("path", project.getProjectFSTPath());
+            result.append(projectVariant);
+        }
+        
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    void recentProjectsFromVariantList(QVariantList projectsVariant) {
+        _recentProjects.clear();
+        for (const auto& projectVariant : projectsVariant) {
+            auto map = projectVariant.toMap();
+            _recentProjects.append(RecentAvatarProject(map.value("name").toString(), map.value("path").toString()));
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    Setting::Handle<QVariantList> _recentProjectsSetting{ "io.highfidelity.avatarPackager.recentProjects", QVariantList() };
 };
 
 #endif  // hifi_AvatarPackager_h
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.cpp
index 2a2ec7c1cb..038ded64d8 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.cpp
@@ -15,13 +15,11 @@
 
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QFileInfo>
-#include <QDebug>
 #include <QQmlEngine>
 #include <QTimer>
 
 #include "FBXSerializer.h"
 #include <ui/TabletScriptingInterface.h>
-#include <graphics/TextureMap.h>
 #include "scripting/HMDScriptingInterface.h"
 
 AvatarProject* AvatarProject::openAvatarProject(const QString& path) {
@@ -38,7 +36,7 @@ AvatarProject* AvatarProject::openAvatarProject(const QString& path) {
 }
 
 AvatarProject* AvatarProject::createAvatarProject(const QString& projectsFolder, const QString& avatarProjectName, const QString& avatarModelPath, const QString& textureFolder) {
-    if (!isValidNewProjectName(avatarProjectName)) {
+    if (!isValidNewProjectName(projectsFolder, avatarProjectName)) {
         return nullptr;
     }
     QDir projectDir(projectsFolder + "/" + avatarProjectName);
@@ -135,8 +133,11 @@ QStringList AvatarProject::getScriptPaths(const QDir& scriptsDir) {
     return result;
 }
 
-bool AvatarProject::isValidNewProjectName(const QString& projectName) {
-    QDir dir(getDefaultProjectsPath() + "/" + projectName);
+bool AvatarProject::isValidNewProjectName(const QString& projectPath, const QString& projectName) {
+    if (projectPath.trimmed().isEmpty() || projectName.trimmed().isEmpty()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    QDir dir(projectPath + "/" + projectName);
     return !dir.exists();
 }
 
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.h b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.h
index 6da9f710cc..506dd7d40b 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.h
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/AvatarProject.h
@@ -17,12 +17,9 @@
 #include "ProjectFile.h"
 #include "FST.h"
 
-#include <QDir>
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QDir>
-#include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QVariantHash>
-#include <QUuid>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 
 class AvatarProject : public QObject {
@@ -41,6 +38,11 @@ public:
     Q_INVOKABLE void openInInventory();
     Q_INVOKABLE QStringList getProjectFiles() const;
 
+    Q_INVOKABLE QString getProjectName() const { return _fst->getName(); }
+    Q_INVOKABLE QString getProjectPath() const { return _projectPath; }
+    Q_INVOKABLE QString getFSTPath() const { return _fst->getPath(); }
+    Q_INVOKABLE QString getFBXPath() const { return _fst->getModelPath(); }
+
     /**
      * returns the AvatarProject or a nullptr on failure.
      */
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ public:
                                               const QString& avatarModelPath,
                                               const QString& textureFolder);
 
-    static bool isValidNewProjectName(const QString& projectName);
+    static bool isValidNewProjectName(const QString& projectPath, const QString& projectName);
 
     static QString getDefaultProjectsPath() {
         return QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::DocumentsLocation) + "/High Fidelity Projects";
@@ -66,11 +68,6 @@ private:
 
     ~AvatarProject() { _fst->deleteLater(); }
 
-    Q_INVOKABLE QString getProjectName() const { return _fst->getName(); }
-    Q_INVOKABLE QString getProjectPath() const { return _projectPath; }
-    Q_INVOKABLE QString getFSTPath() const { return _fst->getPath(); }
-    Q_INVOKABLE QString getFBXPath() const { return _fst->getModelPath(); }
-
     FST* getFST() { return _fst; }
 
     void refreshProjectFiles();
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/MarketplaceItemUploader.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/MarketplaceItemUploader.cpp
index 31dcf8e9a0..ebb3ccdf53 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/MarketplaceItemUploader.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/MarketplaceItemUploader.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 #include <DependencyManager.h>
 
 #include <QBuffer>
-#include <quazip5\quazip.h>
-#include <quazip5\quazipfile.h>
+#include <quazip5/quazip.h>
+#include <quazip5/quazipfile.h>
 
 #include <qtimer.h>
 #include <QFile>