diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
index 2dc61142..87bb198e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class Core {
     private final ConnectionEstablisher connectionEstablisher
     private final HasherService hasherService
         
-    public Core(MuWireSettings props) {		
+    public Core(MuWireSettings props, File home) {		
         log.info "Initializing I2P context"
         I2PAppContext.getGlobalContext().logManager()
         I2PAppContext.getGlobalContext()._logManager = new MuWireLogManager()
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ public class Core {
             }
         }
         
-        Core core = new Core(props)
+        Core core = new Core(props, home)
         core.startServices()
         
         // ... at the end, sleep or execute script
diff --git a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Initialize.groovy b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Initialize.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11e616cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Initialize.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import griffon.core.GriffonApplication
+import groovy.util.logging.Log
+
+import org.codehaus.griffon.runtime.core.AbstractLifecycleHandler
+
+import com.muwire.core.Core
+import com.muwire.core.MuWireSettings
+
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull
+import javax.inject.Inject
+
+import static griffon.util.GriffonApplicationUtils.isMacOSX
+import static groovy.swing.SwingBuilder.lookAndFeel
+
+@Log
+class Initialize extends AbstractLifecycleHandler {
+    @Inject
+    Initialize(@Nonnull GriffonApplication application) {
+        super(application)
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    void execute() {
+        lookAndFeel((isMacOSX ? 'system' : 'nimbus'), 'gtk', ['metal', [boldFonts: false]])
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70180c00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import griffon.core.GriffonApplication
+import groovy.util.logging.Log
+
+import org.codehaus.griffon.runtime.core.AbstractLifecycleHandler
+
+import com.muwire.core.Core
+import com.muwire.core.MuWireSettings
+
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull
+import javax.inject.Inject
+
+import static griffon.util.GriffonApplicationUtils.isMacOSX
+import static groovy.swing.SwingBuilder.lookAndFeel
+
+@Log
+class Ready extends AbstractLifecycleHandler {
+    @Inject
+    Ready(@Nonnull GriffonApplication application) {
+        super(application)
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    void execute() {
+        log.info "starting core services"
+        def home = System.getProperty("user.home") + File.separator + ".MuWire"
+        home = new File(home)
+        if (!home.exists()) {
+            log.info("creating home dir")
+            home.mkdir()
+        }
+        
+        def props = new Properties()
+        def propsFile = new File(home, "MuWire.properties")
+        if (propsFile.exists()) {
+            log.info("loading existing props file")
+            propsFile.withInputStream {
+                props.load(it)
+            }
+            props = new MuWireSettings(props)
+        } else {
+            log.info("creating default properties")
+            props = new MuWireSettings()
+            propsFile.withOutputStream {
+                props.write(it)
+            }
+        }
+        
+        Core core = new Core(props, home)
+        core.startServices()
+        application.context.put("core",core)
+    }
+}
+