I have created hundreds of hidden object pictures over the years. I used to draw a monthly hidden object illustration for Nature Friend Magazine. I also produced puzzle pages for Pockets magazine, greeting cards, jigsaw puzzles, and other children’s publications. I illustrated a line of “Invisibles Sticker Books,” which include my signature hidden object puzzles. I’ve hidden literally thousands of tiny objects in my illustrations.

But, everyone in my family has also assisted me many times with these hidden object illustrations. My husband is an expert at hidden object puzzles. He once had to find over 350 objects in my illustrations — twice — all in the same night! Yep, you read that correctly. I blame deadlines.

What happened was I was working on deadline and in order to double-check the final art, I needed to have someone look over the work with fresh eyes. After working on the illustrations for long periods of time, drawing all those lines and hiding all those objects, your eyes get a little tired. I need an assistant to help me double-check my work and make sure all the objects are hidden where they should be.

The good news is, my husband has so much Can You Find? practice, he is also now an expert at finding all the things I lose around the house. As he likes to remind me, “Living with you is like living in a giant Can You Find?” He is great at finding my phone and keys, which is perfect, because I am good at misplacing them.

When my children were young, they got in on the action too. When I was drawing monthly hidden object puzzles for Nature Friend Magazine, I would often ask them what I should draw next. Then inevitably, I would ask them what I could hide in the final illustration. After all, I couldn’t hide a banana or screwdriver in every piece. It was always refreshing to see my work through a child’s eyes. But, as it happens when kids get older, it was harder to rope them into my studio.

My Can You Find? line of illustrations were published on greeting cards, puzzles and games and won several awards. My “Invisibles” hidden object books, come in a variety of themes. Some even have stickers. They’re available for purchase through Milestone Books.