diff --git a/lib/jekyll.rb b/lib/jekyll.rb
index d466397c..287f0ab4 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll.rb
@@ -87,4 +87,8 @@ module Jekyll
   def self.set_timezone(timezone)
     ENV['TZ'] = timezone
   end
+
+  def self.logger
+    @@logger ||= Stevenson.new
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/command.rb b/lib/jekyll/command.rb
index b9d1b841..911d85b0 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/command.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/command.rb
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ module Jekyll
       site.process
     rescue Jekyll::FatalException => e
       puts
-      Jekyll::Stevenson.error "ERROR:", "YOUR SITE COULD NOT BE BUILT:"
-      Jekyll::Stevenson.error "", "------------------------------------"
-      Jekyll::Stevenson.error "", e.message
+      Jekyll.logger.error "ERROR:", "YOUR SITE COULD NOT BE BUILT:"
+      Jekyll.logger.error "", "------------------------------------"
+      Jekyll.logger.error "", e.message
       exit(1)
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
index 3c1c5f62..fe49b54b 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ module Jekyll
       def self.build(site, options)
         source = options['source']
         destination = options['destination']
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.info "Source:", source
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.info "Destination:", destination
-        print Jekyll::Stevenson.formatted_topic "Generating..."
+        Jekyll.logger.info "Source:", source
+        Jekyll.logger.info "Destination:", destination
+        print Jekyll.logger.formatted_topic "Generating..."
         self.process_site(site)
         puts "done."
       end
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ module Jekyll
         source = options['source']
         destination = options['destination']
 
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.info "Auto-regeneration:", "enabled"
+        Jekyll.logger.info "Auto-regeneration:", "enabled"
 
         dw = DirectoryWatcher.new(source, :glob => self.globs(source, destination), :pre_load => true)
         dw.interval = 1
 
         dw.add_observer do |*args|
           t = Time.now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
-          print Jekyll::Stevenson.formatted_topic("Regenerating:") + "#{args.size} files at #{t} "
+          print Jekyll.logger.formatted_topic("Regenerating:") + "#{args.size} files at #{t} "
           self.process_site(site)
           puts  "...done."
         end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/doctor.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/doctor.rb
index d6648a2b..f11662d2 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/doctor.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/doctor.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module Jekyll
           site.read
 
           unless deprecated_relative_permalinks(site)
-            Jekyll::Stevenson.info "Your test results", "are in. Everything looks fine."
+            Jekyll.logger.info "Your test results", "are in. Everything looks fine."
           end
         end
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module Jekyll
           contains_deprecated_pages = false
           site.pages.each do |page|
             if page.uses_relative_permalinks
-              Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "'#{page.path}' uses relative" +
+              Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "'#{page.path}' uses relative" +
                                   " permalinks which will be deprecated in" +
                                   " Jekyll v1.1 and beyond."
               contains_deprecated_pages = true
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/new.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/new.rb
index ea35ef40..c1aa3eef 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/new.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/new.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Jekyll
         new_blog_path = File.expand_path(args.join(" "), Dir.pwd)
         FileUtils.mkdir_p new_blog_path
         if preserve_source_location?(new_blog_path, options)
-          Jekyll::Stevenson.error "Conflict:", "#{new_blog_path} exists and is not empty."
+          Jekyll.logger.error "Conflict:", "#{new_blog_path} exists and is not empty."
           exit(1)
         end
 
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
index 0bb52096..1a915731 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ module Jekyll
     def read_config_file(file)
       next_config = YAML.safe_load_file(file)
       raise "Configuration file: (INVALID) #{file}".yellow if !next_config.is_a?(Hash)
-      Jekyll::Stevenson.info "Configuration file:", file
+      Jekyll.logger.info "Configuration file:", file
       next_config
     end
 
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ module Jekyll
         end
       rescue SystemCallError
         # Errno:ENOENT = file not found
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Configuration file:", "none"
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Configuration file:", "none"
       rescue => err
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "WARNING:", "Error reading configuration. " +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "WARNING:", "Error reading configuration. " +
                      "Using defaults (and options)."
         $stderr.puts "#{err}"
       end
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ module Jekyll
       config = clone
       # Provide backwards-compatibility
       if config.has_key?('auto') || config.has_key?('watch')
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "Auto-regeneration can no longer" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "Auto-regeneration can no longer" +
                             " be set from your configuration file(s). Use the"+
                             " --watch/-w command-line option instead."
         config.delete('auto')
@@ -170,14 +170,14 @@ module Jekyll
       end
 
       if config.has_key? 'server'
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'server' configuration option" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'server' configuration option" +
                             " is no longer accepted. Use the 'jekyll serve'" +
                             " subcommand to serve your site with WEBrick."
         config.delete('server')
       end
 
       if config.has_key? 'server_port'
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'server_port' configuration option" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'server_port' configuration option" +
                             " has been renamed to 'port'. Please update your config" +
                             " file accordingly."
         # copy but don't overwrite:
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ module Jekyll
       end
 
       if config.has_key?('exclude') && config['exclude'].is_a?(String)
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'exclude' configuration option" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'exclude' configuration option" +
                                " must now be specified as an array, but you specified" +
                                " a string. For now, we've treated the string you provided" +
                                " as a list of comma-separated values."
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ module Jekyll
       end
 
       if config.has_key?('include') && config['include'].is_a?(String)
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'include' configuration option" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "The 'include' configuration option" +
                                " must now be specified as an array, but you specified" +
                                " a string. For now, we've treated the string you provided" +
                                " as a list of comma-separated values."
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
index fcfac9e9..7979aec2 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ module Jekyll
     def render_liquid(content, payload, info)
       Liquid::Template.parse(content).render!(payload, info)
     rescue Exception => e
-      Jekyll::Stevenson.error "Liquid Exception:", "#{e.message} in #{payload[:file]}"
+      Jekyll.logger.error "Liquid Exception:", "#{e.message} in #{payload[:file]}"
       raise e
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb b/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
index bd189e0f..8cbb93a5 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/deprecator.rb
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ module Jekyll
 
     def self.no_subcommand(args)
       if args.size > 0 && args.first =~ /^--/ && !%w[--help --version].include?(args.first)
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.error "Deprecation:", "Jekyll now uses subcommands instead of just \
+        Jekyll.logger.error "Deprecation:", "Jekyll now uses subcommands instead of just \
                             switches. Run `jekyll help' to find out more."
       end
     end
 
     def self.deprecation_message(args, deprecated_argument, message)
       if args.include?(deprecated_argument)
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.error "Deprecation:", message
+        Jekyll.logger.error "Deprecation:", message
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
index 45c123b4..b0ab8947 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/filters.rb
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ module Jekyll
       when String
         Time.parse(input)
       else
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.error "Invalid Date:", "'#{input}' is not a valid datetime."
+        Jekyll.logger.error "Invalid Date:", "'#{input}' is not a valid datetime."
         exit(1)
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/related_posts.rb b/lib/jekyll/related_posts.rb
index 8de5dc78..bdeb2240 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/related_posts.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/related_posts.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ module Jekyll
 
     def display(output)
       $stdout.print("\n")
-      $stdout.print(Jekyll::Stevenson.formatted_topic(output))
+      $stdout.print(Jekyll.logger.formatted_topic(output))
       $stdout.flush
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index e8b65135..e1eb95e2 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -421,12 +421,12 @@ module Jekyll
     def relative_permalinks_deprecation_method
       if config['relative_permalinks'] && !@deprecated_relative_permalinks
         $stderr.puts # Places newline after "Generating..."
-        Jekyll::Stevenson.warn "Deprecation:", "Starting in 1.1, permalinks for pages" +
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Deprecation:", "Starting in 1.1, permalinks for pages" +
                                             " in subfolders must be relative to the" +
                                             " site source directory, not the parent" +
                                             " directory. Check http://jekyllrb.com/docs/upgrading/"+
                                             " for more info."
-        $stderr.print Jekyll::Stevenson.formatted_topic("") + "..." # for "done."
+        $stderr.print Jekyll.logger.formatted_topic("") + "..." # for "done."
         @deprecated_relative_permalinks = true
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/stevenson.rb b/lib/jekyll/stevenson.rb
index 75a6471b..fdcec27a 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/stevenson.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/stevenson.rb
@@ -1,15 +1,29 @@
-require 'logger'
-
 module Jekyll
   class Stevenson
+    attr_accessor :log_level
+
+    DEBUG  = 0
+    INFO   = 1
+    WARN   = 2
+    ERRROR = 3
+
+    # Public: Create a new instance of Stevenson, Jekyll's logger
+    #
+    # level - (optional, integer) the log level
+    #
+    # Returns nothing
+    def initialize(level = INFO)
+      @log_level = level
+    end
+
     # Public: Print a jekyll message to stdout
     #
     # topic - the topic of the message, e.g. "Configuration file", "Deprecation", etc.
     # message - the message detail
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    def self.info(topic, message)
-      $stdout.puts message(topic, message)
+    def info(topic, message)
+      $stdout.puts(message(topic, message)) if log_level <= INFO
     end
 
     # Public: Print a jekyll message to stderr
@@ -18,8 +32,8 @@ module Jekyll
     # message - the message detail
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    def self.warn(topic, message)
-      $stderr.puts message(topic, message).yellow
+    def warn(topic, message)
+      $stderr.puts(message(topic, message).yellow) if log_level <= WARN
     end
 
     # Public: Print a jekyll error message to stderr
@@ -28,8 +42,8 @@ module Jekyll
     # message - the message detail
     #
     # Returns nothing
-    def self.error(topic, message)
-      $stderr.puts message(topic, message).red
+    def error(topic, message)
+      $stderr.puts(message(topic, message).red) if log_level <= ERROR
     end
 
     # Public: Build a Jekyll topic method
@@ -38,8 +52,8 @@ module Jekyll
     # message - the message detail
     #
     # Returns the formatted message
-    def self.message(topic, message)
-       formatted_topic(topic) + message.gsub(/\s+/, ' ')
+    def message(topic, message)
+      formatted_topic(topic) + message.gsub(/\s+/, ' ')
     end
 
     # Public: Format the topic
@@ -47,7 +61,7 @@ module Jekyll
     # topic - the topic of the message, e.g. "Configuration file", "Deprecation", etc.
     #
     # Returns the formatted topic statement
-    def self.formatted_topic(topic)
+    def formatted_topic(topic)
       "#{topic} ".rjust(20)
     end
   end