diff --git a/tailbone/forms2/core.py b/tailbone/forms2/core.py
index 65d63221..4631afce 100644
--- a/tailbone/forms2/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/forms2/core.py
@@ -331,13 +331,24 @@ class Form(object):
 
         return fields
 
-    def remove_field(self, key):
-        if key in self.fields:
-            self.fields.remove(key)
+    def insert_before(self, field, newfield):
+        self.fields.insert_before(field, newfield)
 
-    def remove_fields(self, *args):
+    def insert_after(self, field, newfield):
+        self.fields.insert_after(field, newfield)
+
+    def remove(self, *args):
         for arg in args:
-            self.remove_field(arg)
+            if arg in self.fields:
+                self.fields.remove(arg)
+
+    # TODO: deprecare / remove this
+    def remove_field(self, key):
+        self.remove(key)
+
+    # TODO: deprecare / remove this
+    def remove_fields(self, *args):
+        self.remove(*args)
 
     def make_schema(self):
         if not self.model_class:
@@ -538,7 +549,7 @@ class Form(object):
         label = HTML.tag('label', self.get_label(field_name), for_=field_name)
         field = self.render_field_value(field_name) or ''
         field_div = HTML.tag('div', class_='field', c=field)
-        return HTML.tag('div', class_='field-wrapper {}'.format(field), c=label + field_div)
+        return HTML.tag('div', class_='field-wrapper {}'.format(field_name), c=label + field_div)
 
     def render_field_value(self, field_name):
         record = self.model_instance
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
index c434a194..11c711f0 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
@@ -15,17 +15,17 @@
 
     // validate message before sending
     function validate_message_form() {
-        var form = $('#new-message');
+        var form = $('#deform');
 
-        if (! form.find('input[name="Message--recipients"]').val()) {
+        if (! form.find('input[name="recipients_"]').val()) {
             alert("You must specify some recipient(s) for the message.");
-            $('.recipients input').data('ui-tagit').tagInput.focus();
+            $('.recipients_ input').data('ui-tagit').tagInput.focus();
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (! form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').val()) {
+        if (! form.find('input[name="subject"]').val()) {
             alert("You must provide a subject for the message.");
-            form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').focus();
+            form.find('input[name="subject"]').focus();
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 
     $(function() {
 
-        var recipients = $('.recipients input');
+        var recipients = $('.recipients_ input');
 
         recipients.tagit({
 
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/messages/view.mako b/tailbone/templates/messages/view.mako
index 966961ee..2d14d4d8 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/messages/view.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/messages/view.mako
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 <%def name="extra_styles()">
   ${parent.extra_styles()}
   <style type="text/css">
-    .field-wrapper.recipients .everyone {
+    .recipients .everyone {
         cursor: pointer;
         display: none;
     }
diff --git a/tailbone/views/master3.py b/tailbone/views/master3.py
index 7e661adb..4d72798f 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/master3.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/master3.py
@@ -158,8 +158,9 @@ class MasterView3(MasterView2):
 
     def save_create_form(self, form):
         self.before_create(form)
-        obj = self.objectify(form, self.form_deserialized)
-        self.before_create_flush(obj, form)
+        with self.Session().no_autoflush:
+            obj = self.objectify(form, self.form_deserialized)
+            self.before_create_flush(obj, form)
         self.Session.add(obj)
         self.Session.flush()
         return obj
diff --git a/tailbone/views/messages.py b/tailbone/views/messages.py
index 087837ec..3e313e81 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/messages.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/messages.py
@@ -26,79 +26,21 @@ Message Views
 
 from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 
-import json
-import pytz
 import six
 
-from rattail import enum
 from rattail.db import model
 from rattail.time import localtime
 
-import formalchemy
-from formalchemy.helpers import text_field
+import colander
+from deform import widget as dfwidget
 from pyramid import httpexceptions
 from webhelpers2.html import tags, HTML
 
-from tailbone import forms
 from tailbone.db import Session
-from tailbone.views import MasterView2 as MasterView
+from tailbone.views import MasterView3 as MasterView
 from tailbone.util import raw_datetime
 
 
-class SenderFieldRenderer(forms.renderers.UserFieldRenderer):
-
-    def render_readonly(self, **kwargs):
-        sender = self.raw_value
-        if sender is self.request.user:
-            return 'you'
-        return super(SenderFieldRenderer, self).render_readonly(**kwargs)
-
-
-class RecipientsField(formalchemy.Field):
-    """
-    Custom field for recipients, used when sending new messages.
-    """
-    is_collection = True
-
-    def sync(self):
-        if not self.is_readonly():
-            message = self.parent.model
-            for uuid in self._deserialize():
-                user = Session.query(model.User).get(uuid)
-                if user:
-                    message.add_recipient(user, status=enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX)
-
-
-class RecipientsFieldRenderer(formalchemy.FieldRenderer):
-
-    def render(self, **kwargs):
-        uuids = self.value
-        value = ','.join(uuids) if uuids else ''
-        return text_field(self.name, value=value, **kwargs)
-
-    def deserialize(self):
-        value = self.params.getone(self.name).split(',')
-        value = [uuid.strip() for uuid in value]
-        value = set([uuid for uuid in value if uuid])
-        return value
-
-    def render_readonly(self, **kwargs):
-        recipients = self.raw_value
-        if not recipients:
-            return ''
-        recips = [r for r in recipients if r.recipient is not self.request.user]
-        recips = sorted([r.recipient.display_name for r in recips])
-        if len(recips) < len(recipients):
-            recips.insert(0, 'you')
-        max_display = 5
-        if len(recips) > max_display:
-            basic = HTML.literal("{}, ".format(', '.join(recips[:max_display-1])))
-            more = tags.link_to("({} more)".format(len(recips[max_display-1:])), '#', class_='more')
-            everyone = HTML.tag('span', class_='everyone', c=', '.join(recips[max_display-1:]))
-            return basic + more + everyone
-        return ', '.join(recips)
-
-
 class MessagesView(MasterView):
     """
     Base class for message views.
@@ -109,7 +51,21 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
     checkboxes = True
     replying = False
     reply_header_sent_format = '%a %d %b %Y at %I:%M %p'
-    grid_columns = ['subject', 'sender', 'recipients', 'sent']
+
+    grid_columns = [
+        'subject',
+        'sender',
+        'recipients',
+        'sent',
+    ]
+
+    form_fields = [
+        'sender',
+        'recipients',
+        'sent',
+        'subject',
+        'body',
+    ]
 
     def get_index_title(self):
         if self.listing:
@@ -117,7 +73,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         if self.viewing:
             message = self.get_instance()
             recipient = self.get_recipient(message)
-            if recipient and recipient.status == enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE:
+            if recipient and recipient.status == self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE:
                 return "Message Archive"
             elif not recipient:
                 return "Sent Messages"
@@ -178,7 +134,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
     def render_sent(self, message, column_name):
         return raw_datetime(self.rattail_config, message.sent)
 
-    def render_sender(self, message, column_name):
+    def render_sender(self, message, field):
         sender = message.sender
         if sender is self.request.user:
             return 'you'
@@ -197,50 +153,63 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
             return "{}, ...".format(', '.join(recips[:4]))
         return ""
 
-    def make_form(self, instance, **kwargs):
-        form = super(MessagesView, self).make_form(instance, **kwargs)
-        if self.creating:
-            form.id = 'new-message'
-            form.cancel_url = self.request.get_referrer(default=self.request.route_url('messages.inbox'))
-            form.create_label = "Send Message"
-        return form
+    def render_recipients_full(self, message, field):
+        recipients = message.recipients
+        if not recipients:
+            return ""
+        recips = [r for r in recipients
+                  if r.recipient is not self.request.user]
+        recips = sorted([r.recipient.display_name for r in recips])
+        if len(recips) < len(recipients) and (
+                message.sender is not self.request.user or not recips):
+            recips.insert(0, 'you')
+        max_display = 5
+        if len(recips) > max_display:
+            basic = HTML.literal("{}, ".format(', '.join(recips[:max_display-1])))
+            more = tags.link_to("({} more)".format(len(recips[max_display-1:])), '#', class_='more')
+            everyone = HTML.tag('span', class_='everyone', c=', '.join(recips[max_display-1:]))
+            return basic + more + everyone
+        return ', '.join(recips)
+
+    # TODO!!
+    # def make_form(self, instance, **kwargs):
+    #     form = super(MessagesView, self).make_form(instance, **kwargs)
+    #     if self.creating:
+    #         form.id = 'new-message'
+    #         form.cancel_url = self.request.get_referrer(default=self.request.route_url('messages.inbox'))
+    #         form.create_label = "Send Message"
+    #     return form
+
+    def configure_form(self, f):
+        super(MessagesView, self).configure_form(f)
 
-    def configure_fieldset(self, fs):
         # TODO: A fair amount of this still seems hacky...
 
+        f.set_renderer('sender', self.render_sender)
+        f.set_label('sender', "From")
+
+        f.set_type('sent', 'datetime')
+
+        f.set_renderer('recipients', self.render_recipients_full)
+        f.set_label('recipients', "To")
+
+        f.set_widget('body', dfwidget.TextAreaWidget(cols=50, rows=15))
+
         if self.creating:
+            f.remove('sender', 'sent')
 
-            # Must create a new 'sender' field so that we can feed it the
-            # current user as default value, but prevent attaching user to the
-            # (new) underlying message instance...ugh
-            fs.append(formalchemy.Field('sender', value=self.request.user,
-                                        renderer=forms.renderers.UserFieldRenderer,
-                                        label="From", readonly=True))
-
-            # Sort of the same thing for recipients, although most of that logic is below.
-            fs.append(RecipientsField('recipients', label="To", renderer=RecipientsFieldRenderer))
-
-            fs.configure(include=[
-                fs.sender,
-                fs.recipients,
-                fs.subject,
-                fs.body.textarea(size='50x15'),
-            ])
-
-            # We'll assign some properties directly on the new message;
-            # apparently that's safe and won't cause it to be committed.
-            # Notably, we can't assign the sender yet.  Also the actual
-            # recipients assignment is handled by that field's sync().
-            message = fs.model
+            f.insert_after('recipients', 'recipients_')
+            f.remove('recipients')
+            f.set_node('recipients_', colander.SchemaNode(colander.Set()))
+            f.set_widget('recipients_', RecipientsWidget())
+            f.set_label('recipients_', "To")
 
             if self.replying:
                 old_message = self.get_instance()
-                message.subject = "Re: {}".format(old_message.subject)
-                message.body = self.get_reply_body(old_message)
+                f.set_default('subject', "Re: {}".format(old_message.subject))
+                f.set_default('body', self.get_reply_body(old_message))
 
-                # Determine an initial set of recipients, based on reply
-                # method.  This value will be set to a 'pseudo' field to avoid
-                # touching the new model instance and causing a crap commit.
+                # Determine an initial set of recipients, based on reply method.
 
                 # If replying to all, massage the list a little so that the
                 # current user is not listed, and the sender is listed first.
@@ -250,37 +219,36 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
                              if self.filter_reply_recipient(r.recipient)]
                     value = dict(value)
                     value.pop(self.request.user.uuid, None)
-                    value = sorted(value.iteritems(), key=lambda r: r[1])
+                    value = sorted(value.items(), key=lambda r: r[1])
                     value = [r[0] for r in value]
                     if old_message.sender is not self.request.user and old_message.sender.active:
                         value.insert(0, old_message.sender_uuid)
-                    fs.recipients.set(value=value)
+                    f.set_default('recipients_', ','.join(value))
 
                 # Just a normal reply, to sender only.
                 elif self.filter_reply_recipient(old_message.sender):
-                    fs.recipients.set(value=[old_message.sender.uuid])
+                    f.set_default('recipients_', old_message.sender.uuid)
 
-                # Set focus to message body instead of recipients, when replying.
-                fs.focus = fs.body
+                # TODO?
+                # # Set focus to message body instead of recipients, when replying.
+                # fs.focus = fs.body
 
         elif self.viewing:
+            f.remove('body')
 
-            # Viewing an existing message is a heck of a lot easier...
-            fs.configure(include=[
-                fs.sender.with_renderer(SenderFieldRenderer).label("From"),
-                fs.recipients.with_renderer(RecipientsFieldRenderer).label("To"),
-                fs.sent,
-                fs.subject,
-            ])
+    def objectify(self, form, data):
+        message = super(MessagesView, self).objectify(form, data)
 
-    def before_create(self, form):
-        """
-        This is where we must assign the current user as sender for new
-        messages, for now.  I'm still not quite happy with this...
-        """
-        super(MessagesView, self).before_create(form)
-        message = form.fieldset.model
-        message.sender = self.request.user
+        if self.creating:
+            if self.request.user:
+                message.sender = self.request.user
+
+            for uuid in data['recipients_']:
+                user = self.Session.query(model.User).get(uuid)
+                if user:
+                    message.add_recipient(user, status=self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX)
+
+        return message
 
     def flash_after_create(self, obj):
         self.request.session.flash("Message has been sent: {}".format(
@@ -290,8 +258,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         return user.active
 
     def get_reply_header(self, message):
-        sent = pytz.utc.localize(message.sent)
-        sent = localtime(self.rattail_config, sent)
+        sent = localtime(self.rattail_config, message.sent, from_utc=True)
         sent = sent.strftime(self.reply_header_sent_format)
         return "On {}, {} wrote:".format(sent, message.sender.person.display_name)
 
@@ -318,7 +285,6 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
 
     def template_kwargs_create(self, **kwargs):
         kwargs['available_recipients'] = self.get_available_recipients()
-        kwargs['json'] = json
         if self.replying:
             kwargs['original_message'] = self.get_instance()
         return kwargs
@@ -371,7 +337,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
             return self.redirect(self.request.get_referrer(
                 default=self.request.route_url('messages_inbox')))
 
-        new_status = enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX if dest == 'inbox' else enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE
+        new_status = self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX if dest == 'inbox' else self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE
         if recipient.status != new_status:
             recipient.status = new_status
         return self.redirect(self.request.route_url('messages.{}'.format(
@@ -385,7 +351,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         if self.request.method == 'POST':
             uuids = self.request.POST.get('uuids', '').split(',')
             if uuids:
-                new_status = enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX if dest == 'inbox' else enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE
+                new_status = self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX if dest == 'inbox' else self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE
                 for uuid in uuids:
                     recip = self.Session.query(model.MessageRecipient)\
                                         .filter(model.MessageRecipient.message_uuid == uuid)\
@@ -436,7 +402,7 @@ class InboxView(MessagesView):
 
     def query(self, session):
         q = super(InboxView, self).query(session)
-        return q.filter(model.MessageRecipient.status == enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX)
+        return q.filter(model.MessageRecipient.status == self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_INBOX)
 
 
 class ArchiveView(MessagesView):
@@ -452,7 +418,7 @@ class ArchiveView(MessagesView):
 
     def query(self, session):
         q = super(ArchiveView, self).query(session)
-        return q.filter(model.MessageRecipient.status == enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE)
+        return q.filter(model.MessageRecipient.status == self.enum.MESSAGE_STATUS_ARCHIVE)
 
 
 class SentView(MessagesView):
@@ -481,6 +447,20 @@ class SentView(MessagesView):
                                                 default_active=True, default_verb='contains')
 
 
+class RecipientsWidget(dfwidget.TextInputWidget):
+
+    def deserialize(self, field, pstruct):
+        if pstruct is colander.null:
+            return []
+        elif not isinstance(pstruct, six.string_types):
+            raise colander.Invalid(field.schema, "Pstruct is not a string")
+        if self.strip:
+            pstruct = pstruct.strip()
+        if not pstruct:
+            return []
+        return pstruct.split(',')
+
+
 def includeme(config):
 
     config.add_tailbone_permission('messages', 'messages.list', "List/Search Messages")