Hi everyone!

Today, I’m diving into a pair of fun and playful ocean-themed birthday cards featuring the Simon Says Stamp “Rain or Shine” release! These adorable whales and their little fishy friends are bringing all the underwater vibes, and I had so much fun creating these scenes. I colored the whales, fish, and sea plants with Copic markers for bright, bold details, while the backgrounds were ink-blended to create soft underwater gradients that really make the images pop!

Design Highlights

🐳 Copic Coloring – The whales, little fish, and sea plants were all hand-colored with Copic markers, adding shading and dimension for extra depth.

🌊 Ink-Blended Backgrounds – I created ocean-inspired backgrounds with ink blending, giving each scene a dreamy underwater look.

🎨 Layered Details – One card features a stenciled Argyle background, while the other has an organic, deep-sea scene with coral and ocean floor details.

✨ Finishing Touches – A mix of scalloped edges, gel pen accents, and sparkle-y gems tie everything together for a fun, ocean-inspired birthday card duo!

A Closer Look at Each Card

💙 Argyle Whale Card – For a bit of fun, I used the new Argyle Builder stencil set from the release to create a whimsical ocean background for my scene. Definitely non-traditional but I think it adds so much fun to the card. 

💜 Deep Sea Whale Card – I stuck to a more traditional ocean feel for this card and created a dark ocean ink-blended background.  The sea plants and coral set the scene for these happy little sea creatures! A few splatters and some gems mimic bubbles for extra depth.

I love how these turned out—so fun and perfect for a birthday surprise! Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Have a wonderfully creative day, everyone!