Family photos and mementos are the raw stuff of some great Mother’s Day gifts.

Here is an ideas for creating a new family treasure in just an afternoon.

Family-story triptych

Sondra Hines came up with this idea several years ago for an elementary school art program at the Holter Museum of Art, in Helena, Mont., where she is curator of education.

A triptych consists of three panels, two of which often fold onto the third. Younger children need adult guidance to make one, but teenagers can do it on their own.

Hines suggests embellishing the triptych with meaningful items: gluing on old ribbons or buttons, a parent’s favorite poem, a fabric reminiscent of grandmother — even concert tickets.

“Basically, you just want to put things in it that hold memory, so when you look back you can go, ‘Ohhh, I remember …,”’ says Hines.

How to make a triptych:

Supplies:

Three pieces of Davey Board or Binder’s Board

Natural muslin, or any cotton or linen fabric

Family photos or other twodimensional mementoes

Scrapbook or other heavy, patterned paper

Embellishments (ribbons, buttons, glitter, sequins, etc.)

Glue

Assembly:

1. For each triptych, cut the board into three pieces. Start by cutting two pieces 9 1/2-by- 7 1/2 inches and then cut one of them in half vertically to make two smaller pieces, 4 3/4-by-7 1/2 inches each. The larger piece will form the back of the triptych. The two smaller pieces will create the two front sides that open and close.

2. Cut fabric one inch larger than the board on all sides. For the featured measurements, that’s one piece of fabric measuring 21-by-17 inches.

3. Center the three boards over the fabric, with the largest board in the center and leaving 1/4 inch of space between each board, and fold the fabric over. Cut the corners on the diagonal to get pointed corners. Glue the fabric to the boards.

4. Now, you should have a working triptych that opens and closes. Cover the inside cardboard with scrapbook paper and embellish it with photographs, artwork and little mementos.

www.etsy.com/shop/luckymebeads lepapierstudio.com www.holtermuseum.org