blarg.py

import json

class Blarg:
    def __init__(self, something=1):
        self.something=something
        self.werg = {"another thing": 1}

    def to_json(self):
        return json.dumps({
            "something": self.something,
            "werg": self.werg,        
        })

    @classmethod
    def from_json(cls, json_string):
        json_dict = json.loads(json_string)
        proto = cls(json_dict['something'])
        proto.werg = json_dict['werg']
        return proto

b = Blarg("hi")
stored = b.to_json()

print stored

restored = Blarg.from_json(stored)
print restored.something
print restored.werg