diff --git a/src/System/Taffybar/FreedesktopNotifications.hs b/src/System/Taffybar/FreedesktopNotifications.hs
--- a/src/System/Taffybar/FreedesktopNotifications.hs
+++ b/src/System/Taffybar/FreedesktopNotifications.hs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
   ) where
 
 import Control.Concurrent
+import Control.Monad.Trans ( liftIO )
 import Data.Int ( Int32 )
 import Data.IORef
 import Data.Map ( Map )
@@ -48,13 +49,13 @@
                                , noteIdSource :: MVar Word32
                                , noteWorkerChan :: Chan WorkType
                                , noteWidget :: Label
-                               , noteContainer :: InfoBar
+                               , noteContainer :: Widget
                                , noteTimerThread :: MVar (Maybe ThreadId)
                                , noteConfig :: NotificationConfig
                                }
 
-initialNoteState :: InfoBar -> Label -> NotificationConfig -> IO NotifyState
-initialNoteState ib l cfg = do
+initialNoteState :: Widget -> Label -> NotificationConfig -> IO NotifyState
+initialNoteState wrapper l cfg = do
   c <- newChan
   m <- newMVar 1
   q <- newMVar S.empty
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@
                      , noteIdSource = m
                      , noteWorkerChan = c
                      , noteWidget = l
-                     , noteContainer = ib
+                     , noteContainer = wrapper
                      , noteTimerThread = t
                      , noteConfig = cfg
                      }
@@ -262,7 +263,9 @@
   threadDelay (fromIntegral seconds * 1000000)
   writeChan c (ExpireNote nid)
 
-userCancel s _ = writeChan (noteWorkerChan s) (CancelNote Nothing)
+userCancel s = do
+  liftIO $ writeChan (noteWorkerChan s) (CancelNote Nothing)
+  return True
 
 data NotificationConfig =
   NotificationConfig { notificationMaxTimeout :: Int -- ^ Maximum time that a notification will be displayed (in seconds).  Default: 10
@@ -275,7 +278,8 @@
   where
     msg = case T.null (noteBody note) of
       True -> T.unpack $ noteSummary note
-      False -> T.unpack $ mconcat [ noteSummary note, ": ", noteBody note ]
+      False -> T.unpack $ mconcat [ "<span fgcolor='yellow'>Note:</span>"
+                                  , noteSummary note, ": ", noteBody note ]
 
 -- | The default formatter is one of
 --
@@ -294,21 +298,32 @@
 -- | Create a new notification area with the given configuration.
 notifyAreaNew :: NotificationConfig -> IO Widget
 notifyAreaNew cfg = do
-  ib <- infoBarNew
-  l <- labelNew Nothing
-  button <- buttonNew -- FromStock stockClose
-  img <- imageNewFromStock stockClose (IconSizeUser 16)
-  ca <- infoBarGetContentArea ib
-  let container = castToContainer ca
-  containerAdd container l
-  containerAdd button img
-  infoBarAddActionWidget ib button 0
-  widgetHideAll ib
+  frame <- frameNew
+  box <- hBoxNew False 3
+  textArea <- labelNew Nothing
+  button <- eventBoxNew
+  sep <- vSeparatorNew
 
+  buttonLabel <- labelNew Nothing
+  widgetSetName buttonLabel "NotificationCloseButton"
+  buttonStyle <- rcGetStyle buttonLabel
+  buttonTextColor <- styleGetText buttonStyle StateNormal
+  labelSetMarkup buttonLabel "×"
 
+  labelSetMaxWidthChars textArea (notificationMaxLength cfg)
+  labelSetEllipsize textArea EllipsizeEnd
 
-  istate <- initialNoteState ib l cfg
-  _ <- on ib infoBarResponse (userCancel istate)
+  containerAdd button buttonLabel
+  boxPackStart box textArea PackGrow 0
+  boxPackStart box sep PackNatural 0
+  boxPackStart box button PackNatural 0
+
+  containerAdd frame box
+
+  widgetHideAll frame
+
+  istate <- initialNoteState (toWidget frame) textArea cfg
+  _ <- on button buttonReleaseEvent (userCancel istate)
   _ <- forkIO (workerThread istate)
 
   -- This is only available to the notify handler, so it doesn't need
@@ -316,7 +331,16 @@
   -- notifiation handler threads, though (not sure), so keep it safe
   -- and use an mvar.
   idSrc <- newMVar 1
-  notificationDaemon (notify idSrc istate) (closeNotification istate)
 
+  realizableWrapper <- hBoxNew False 0
+  boxPackStart realizableWrapper frame PackNatural 0
+  widgetShow realizableWrapper
+
+  -- We can't start the dbus listener thread until we are in the GTK
+  -- main loop, otherwise things are prone to lock up and block
+  -- infinitely on an mvar.  Bad stuff - only start the dbus thread
+  -- after the fake invisible wrapper widget is realized.
+  on realizableWrapper realize $ notificationDaemon (notify idSrc istate) (closeNotification istate)
+
   -- Don't show ib by default - it will appear when needed
-  return (toWidget ib)
+  return (toWidget realizableWrapper)
diff --git a/src/System/Taffybar/MPRIS.hs b/src/System/Taffybar/MPRIS.hs
--- a/src/System/Taffybar/MPRIS.hs
+++ b/src/System/Taffybar/MPRIS.hs
@@ -80,6 +80,6 @@
 mprisNew = do
   l <- labelNew Nothing
 
-  setupDBus l
+  _ <- on l realize $ setupDBus l
   widgetShowAll l
   return (toWidget l)
diff --git a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingBar.hs b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingBar.hs
--- a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingBar.hs
+++ b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingBar.hs
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 pollingBarNew cfg pollSeconds action = do
   (drawArea, h) <- verticalBarNew cfg
 
-  _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
-    sample <- action
-    verticalBarSetPercent h sample
-    threadDelay $ floor (pollSeconds * 1000000)
+  _ <- on drawArea realize $ do
+    _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
+      sample <- action
+      verticalBarSetPercent h sample
+      threadDelay $ floor (pollSeconds * 1000000)
+    return ()
 
   return drawArea
diff --git a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingGraph.hs b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingGraph.hs
--- a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingGraph.hs
+++ b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingGraph.hs
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@
 pollingGraphNew cfg pollSeconds action = do
   (da, h) <- graphNew cfg
 
-  _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
-    sample <- action
-    graphAddSample h sample
-    threadDelay $ floor (pollSeconds * 1000000)
+  _ <- on da realize $ do
+       _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
+         sample <- action
+         graphAddSample h sample
+         threadDelay $ floor (pollSeconds * 1000000)
+       return ()
 
   return da
diff --git a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingLabel.hs b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingLabel.hs
--- a/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingLabel.hs
+++ b/src/System/Taffybar/Widgets/PollingLabel.hs
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@
   l <- labelNew Nothing
   labelSetMarkup l initialString
 
-  _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
-    str <- cmd
-    postGUIAsync $ labelSetMarkup l str
-    threadDelay $ floor (interval * 1000000)
+  _ <- on l realize $ do
+    _ <- forkIO $ forever $ do
+      str <- cmd
+      postGUIAsync $ labelSetMarkup l str
+      threadDelay $ floor (interval * 1000000)
+    return ()
 
   return (toWidget l)
diff --git a/taffybar.cabal b/taffybar.cabal
--- a/taffybar.cabal
+++ b/taffybar.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: taffybar
-version: 0.1.1
+version: 0.1.2
 synopsis: A desktop bar similar to xmobar, but with more GUI
 license: BSD3
 license-file: LICENSE
@@ -13,9 +13,18 @@
 extra-source-files: README.md,
                     taffybar.hs.example
 
-description: A somewhat fancier desktop bar than xmobar.  This bar is based on
-             gtk2hs and provides several widgets (including a few graphical ones).
-             It also sports an optional snazzy system tray.
+description:
+  A somewhat fancier desktop bar than xmobar.  This bar is based on
+  gtk2hs and provides several widgets (including a few graphical ones).
+  It also sports an optional snazzy system tray.
+  .
+  Changes in v0.1.2:
+  .
+    * Readable widget for freedesktop notifications
+  .
+    * Fixed a few potential deadlocks on startup
+  .
+    * Use the GTK+ rc-file styling system for colors instead of hard coding them
 
 
 library
diff --git a/taffybar.rc b/taffybar.rc
--- a/taffybar.rc
+++ b/taffybar.rc
@@ -4,5 +4,10 @@
   text[NORMAL] = "#FFFFFF"
 }
 
-class "GtkWidget" style "default"
+style "notification-button" = "default" {
+  text[NORMAL] = "#FF0000"
+  fg[NORMAL] = "#FF0000"
+}
 
+class "GtkWidget" style "default"
+widget "*NotificationCloseButton" style "notification-button"