E-Mail This Article to a Friend It’s all about me Express yourself with stores and services that help you design your own stuff BY KATE COHEN

During this summer of political conventions, we’ve heard a lot about the merits of freedom. Yet as the delegates get behind their parties’ messages, their solidarity can be mistaken for rigid sameness. Fortunately, another all-American trait — individuality — has inspired an increasing number of ways to express your unique self, from picking up a paintbrush to designing your own lavender-mint body polish.

For better or worse, few things are more personal than one’s aroma. Good thing there are services to help us leave the right lingering impression. Aveda offers its Personal Blends experience ($10–$25), described by a salesperson as a relaxing "sensory journey." The shop presents you with its plant- and flower-based scented oils, and after selecting whichever one suits your fancy, you can have it blended into a number of hair and body products. Aveda also touts a birthday program to familiarize customers with this service; register in one of the stores and then come in on your special day for a complimentary blend.

Aveda’s reasonable prices allow for shopping for fragrances on a whim. Desana Fragrances, on the other hand, offers customized products created after a personal consultation and sampling. Paula Goldstein used to blend her stock of more than 200 oils in a Boston storefront, but now she offers personalized scents via mail-order from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Patrons can call in, discuss what they’re looking for, and then receive two or three samples that have been custom-blended according to the consultation ($150). This back-and-forth goes on until the perfect blend has arrived, which can then be infused into perfume or body products for men and women ($20–$28).

What better way to tote those new personalized products than in a custom-made handbag? 1154 Lill Studio, in Boston, has dozens of fabrics for constructing carryalls in a range of styles, from cosmetic purses to messenger bags ($20–$150), as well as a selection of pre-made bags. Custom bags are ready for pick up or shipping in four weeks. Over in Cambridge, Anna William offers more than 150 fabrics and 18 different bag styles ($28–$98), which are also ready after about four weeks. Both stores serve to groups and private parties, with minimum-purchase requirements.

Admiring all those fabric samples for a mere handbag might make some of your more substantial household items seem shabby by comparison. Dream On Futon’s extensive collection of swatches makes possible a refreshing makeover for that old futon cover with the no-longer-identifiable stains. The store can make a cover ($150–$500) in virtually any size, with pillows to match, plus embellishments like piping, buttons, and fringe.

Accent the new upholstery with paint-your-own pottery from the Clayroom or Made by Me. Both stores charge an initial studio fee ($8) plus an additional-hours rate ($8), along with the cost of the item to be painted ($3–$60). All art supplies are provided, as well as guidance from a helpful staff; after four days, the items are glazed, fired, and ready to go. Thus all these personalized products let patrons decide on the customization, while someone else does the serious legwork — a very American process.

Where to find it:

• 1154 Lill Studio, 220 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 247-1154; www.1154lill.com

• Anna William, 2014 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 547-ANNA; www.annawilliam.com

• Aveda, various locations; www.aveda.com

• Clayroom, 1408 Beacon Street, Brookline, (617) 566-7575; 172 South Street, Jamaica Plain, (617) 522-CLAY; 303 Auburn Street, Newton, (617) 965-6999; www.clayroom.com

• Desana Fragrances, (888) 5-DESANA; desanafragrances.com

• Dream On Futon, 830 Mass Ave, Cambridge and 241 B Mystic Avenue, Medford, (800) 628-5539; www.dreamonfuton.com

• Made by Me, 1154 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 354-8111.