Composing, CD, fiddling with mastering

There are a few different ways to come up with "a song".

One is to have some lyrics first, then a melody that suits the meter/phrasing of the lyrics, then then add the backing music.

Another is to have a chord progression, come up with a melody that goes over it, then if you want lyrics fit words into the melody.

Another is to do some combination of the two previous. That's mostly how this one was done: Door #3

Another is to have a beat, come up with a bass line and then a chord progression that goes over it, then build your melody on top-- or if you want you can put the melody over the bassline first, which can give you the minor-ness major-ness of the chords, and you fill the chords in around it. Then you fit lyrics (if you want them) into the melody. That's mostly how this one was done:
Wondering

Another is to do some combination of all of the above. That's how this one was done-- the melodic parts were added on in snippets, some were 'preplanned' and some were improvised over the chords. No lyrics for this, though. TranzHouse One

Now, I have been mastering the tracks I've put together. I'm doing this using Live's built in effects, also VSTs: a Phase Linear EQ, a paragraphic EQ and the Voxengo soniformer multiband compressor mentioned earlier. I am learning how to best use these things, so I master for a bit, then go away for a day or two, then come back and listen. This is taking a little longer than I had planned, but I still think I will have a CD for "fall release". I've gotten some tips from some recording magazines, other Garageband artists as well has having some college level training on the notion of loudness curves and such.

My goal is to have the mastering done before Thanksgiving.