Similar experience: We have and I SPY calendar. Each month we get a new picture and a list of things to find. I've been using the "see the whole picture" and "let the mind find it" and not the eyes. It works great. I'm faster than the entire rest of the family and get the ones they can't find.
I decided to try being aware of the whole picture and let the mind show me where items were, when we were stuck finding the last few items in January. Since then I scan like for the easy ones, then switch to the full awareness method when the rate of findings decreases.
Iam2 
