Vellum is translucent paper, and it's used precisely for what it half-reveals. Laid over a patterned background, it softens it and pushes it into the background, so the photo or text you place on top stands out without having to cover anything up.
Ours are 12x12 and designed to match our collections: Aloha, Bee Gnomes, Crazy Christmas, Crazy Pets and many more.
A practical warning: vellum doesn't forgive glue, because it shows straight through. Always fix it underneath another element, by stitching or with brads, never with glue on the back.