Getting creative with familiar proportions can open new windows of opportunity for embellishments or ephemera. Choose a common element like an envelope and make it larger or smaller and suddenly you can explore new ways to use it. A faux specimen is a good example but at only 1″ and 1.5″ it suddenly becomes a familiar but unique adornment. 

You’ll just need either a small square die or square paper punches. If you don’t have either just use common circle punches in 5/8″ or 1″ size. Measure your paper to your die including a border width and then double the length of the paper and fold. Punch or die cut the center. Keep your center piece and glue on the back.

You can use many types of displays for inside your specimen window but some common choices are stamped images, postage stamps, dried or paper flowers, butterflies or other punched shapes.

You can stamp text on your specimen or make them out of different types of paper such as book pages, designer scrapbook paper, book or magazine images or any patterned paper. Use a card stock type paper, layer paper for firmness or glue thinner papers to packaging material.

Decorate your specimens further if desired. Try making some small renditions of other items like a book, tags, labels, tickets, tabs or frames. Try making larger than life items too like buttons, tickets or hole reinforcers. 

Making tiny or large embellishments and ephemera and expand your creative horizons.

Happy paper crafting!