Close encounters of the famous kind Many of us have had close encounters with a celebrity. It might be bumping into a famous footballer at Bunnings, spotting a singer in Spotlight or seeing a movie star on the street. However, two Living Gems homeowners had more than just a brush with fame.   Celebrity sightings by accident Teresa Gent from Ruby by Living Gems has had more than her fair share of celebrity sightings and she has proof in an extensive autograph book. One of her favourite celebrity encounters was with the legendary Bee Gees. "It was the summer of 1972, and the Bee Gees announced a concert," she said. "My husband and I were lucky enough to grab ourselves two tickets for the Sydney show which was an hour and half from where we lived. "I heard an interview with them on the radio and it was mentioned they would be doing rehearsals in the days prior to performing." That's when the young mum of two embarked...

Ruby’s writers group the Quills sharpen their pens Be prepared to bring your A-game when joining a Quills group meeting. The group of keen writers at Ruby by Living Gems meets weekly to share their writings and play ‘beat the clock’ writing exercises where brevity and wit are rewarded. Anywhere up to 20 people meet in Ruby’s arts and craft studio where they work on longer form stories, flash fiction, poems and more. The group has been running for five years, and the 200th homework assignment has just been issued. “We all have our areas of writing interest,” said convenor Francie Goodie. “I enjoy writing science fiction stories. We’ve had other members who’ve written steamy romances, and a current member's go-to is zombie stories.” Including poets, novelists, memoirists and more, the Quills are open to writers of all levels of experience. “Not everyone has a desire to be a published author,” she says. “All that’s required to join our group is the desire to write.” The...