In order to prevent re-inventing and re-discovering things i will add links to gimp tutorials But please feel free to enter your own...
There are inumerable variations.
Without further ado....
http://www.gimpshop.com/tutorials
http://www.gimpdome.com/index.php?PHPSE ... o92ocnmr72
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=285
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6660
http://www.packtpub.com/article/create- ... h-gimp-2-6
http://boitblog.blogspot.in/2012/12/carve-text.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_8486031_make-metal-gimp.html
http://gimpchat.com/viewforum.php?f=23 ....has various tutorials
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6660
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6769
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5719
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3686
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6652
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6612
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6599
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6623
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6372
http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6374
http://www.gimpology.com/submission/vie ... ext_effect
http://puteraaladin.blogspot.in/2008/11 ... -text.html
http://blog.qbrushes.net/best-40-gimp-tutorials/
http://gimp-tutorials.net/gimp-glow-effect
http://gimp.pixtuts.com/gimp-tutorials/ ... hiny-floor