diff --git a/app/models/merged/image.rb b/app/models/merged/image.rb
index 6db6aab..f055e68 100644
--- a/app/models/merged/image.rb
+++ b/app/models/merged/image.rb
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ module Merged
                 size: (magick_image.size/1024).to_i
       self.insert(image) # assigns next id
       full_filename = image.id.to_s + "." + ending
-      magick_image.write(Rails.root.join("app/assets/images/cms/", full_filename))
+      magick_image.write(Rails.root.join(Image.asset_root, full_filename))
       image
     end
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ module Merged
 
     def full_filename
       full_filename = self.id.to_s + "." + self.type
-      Rails.root.join(asset_root, full_filename)
+      Rails.root.join(Image.asset_root, full_filename)
     end
 
     def self.transform
@@ -98,13 +98,12 @@ module Merged
       self.size = (magick_image.size/1024).to_i
     end
 
-    private
-    def asset_root
-      "app/assets/images/" + image_root
+    def self.asset_root
+      "app/assets/images/" + Merged.images_dir
     end
 
     def image_root
-      "cms"
+      Merged.images_dir
     end
 
   end
diff --git a/app/models/merged/option_definition.rb b/app/models/merged/option_definition.rb
index 90ab6ac..a4239bd 100644
--- a/app/models/merged/option_definition.rb
+++ b/app/models/merged/option_definition.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module Merged
-  class OptionDefinition < ActiveBase
-    set_root_path Engine.root + "config"
+  class OptionDefinition < SharedBase
 
     fields :name , :default , :description , :values , :type
 
diff --git a/app/models/merged/shared_base.rb b/app/models/merged/shared_base.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8841b23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/merged/shared_base.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+module Merged
+  # shared data across engine and app
+  # takes a little footwork, as seen below
+  class SharedBase < ActiveYaml::Base
+    def self.raw_data
+      paths = [ Merged::Engine.root.join("config")]
+      loaded_files = paths.collect do |path|
+        actual_filename  = filename   || name.tableize
+        full = File.join(path, "#{actual_filename}.#{extension}")
+        load_path(full)
+      end
+      loaded_files.sum
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/models/merged/style.rb b/app/models/merged/style.rb
index 36d948c..482b8e4 100644
--- a/app/models/merged/style.rb
+++ b/app/models/merged/style.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 module Merged
-  class Style < ActiveBase
-
-    set_root_path Engine.root + "config"
+  class Style < SharedBase
 
     fields  :options
 
diff --git a/app/models/merged/view_base.rb b/app/models/merged/view_base.rb
index dccac53..b659daa 100644
--- a/app/models/merged/view_base.rb
+++ b/app/models/merged/view_base.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Merged
   # and the fact that they persist in ActiveYaml
 
   class ViewBase < ActiveBase
-    set_root_path Rails.root #ouside engines not necessary
+    set_root_path Merged.data_dir
     include ActiveHash::Associations
 
     belongs_to :image , class_name: "Merged::Image"