FreeHand is a very good program and it's suitable not only for designing "we're closed" signs. You can use FH for preparing images for the cutting plotter and cut them right from the program. My experience with Summagraphics plotter was pleasurous enough. Maybe you'll want to know some tips:
Convert any type you may have in your document to paths
If possible, simplify.
Unjoin and ungroup any objects.
Remove any fills from any object (set it to None).
Set line width to ZERO, using Inspector palette. This is very important, otherwise your plotter will cut two lines instead of one and you will have thin spaghetti made of your adhesive film.
