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The ones I recommend.  There are two ways of lining up the paper/photo to be cut.
[1] Line up a side of the paper/photo along the bottom ridge of the cutter. (From now on I'm just saying paper, not paper/photo. I'm lazy like that.) Then move the paper to the place you have marked to line up with where the cut will go. (Oh, and before you start, measure and mark with a light pencil line where you want to cut.) When you line up on side against the bottom, it's important that you're positive the side you're using is a STRAIGHT edge. If it's leaning slightly, all your cuts will be crooked. [2] Line up an element that's ON the paper -- like the edge of a picture or another layer of paper -- along the guides on the plastic umm . . thingy. (The clear plastic piece that flips up and lets you put the paper under, then flips back and holds it down and holds the cutter blade. Yeah, that thingy.) The thingy has grooved lines in different places that you can make stuff line up with. Like if I have a picture on a paper and I want to crop the paper, I pick where I want to line my picture up and use the same guide for cutting each of the sides so the border all around the picture is the same. Damn, I'm articulate today, aren't I. . Now on to making the cut.  Before you place the paper, put the cutter where it will need to be to start the cut. (All the way to the top or the bottom.) I personally think you have more control coming toward yourself than away (so start high and bring it down), but that's your call.
When you're ready to cut and the paper is in place, with your non-cutting hand, put pressure on the plastic thingy to hold the paper in place. I always keep a finger or two steadying the paper, too. Drag the cutter blade down -- with firm even pressure, but not TOO hard, or the paper will tear. And not too light, 'cause it won't cut all the way though (especially with cardstock.) You have to experiment to get the feel for it (so needless to say, experiment on scrap paper and not on a 1 in a million layout or picture!) When you're first starting the blade on the paper, if the paper is really fragile there's a chance of the paper scrunching instead of cutting -- so be aware as you START to cut. When you're pulling the blade down, it's still possible to cut crooked depending on what your hand does. If you're pulling to the left and then to the right, even within the small space the cutter has, it can still move around  and wobble. . If the time comes when it's too hard to get paper cut, the cuts aren't clean, or it feels like there's too much resistance as you cut, it's time for new blades. They're cheap and easy to switch, and it's TOTALLY worth it for good cuts. Seriously. Don't wait, just rush out and get a new blade. It's easiest to pop the current blade out if it's in the middle of the plastic thingy where you have more give and bend to the plastic (they're harder to get out at the very top or bottom.) And don't let your two year old figure out how fun it is to pop them in and out, or he'll think it's an interactive toy for him. (*ahem* Jacob!) So pretty much practice, practice, practice, and measure twice (or ten times), cut once! When in doubt, cut the smaller amount off because you can always cut another 1/8 an inch off, but it's pretty hard to put them back. And for pete's sake do NOT cut rare or heritage photos. Make COPIES first. . Cutting down 12x12 paper  If you scrap 8.5x11 or even 8x8, you'll need to trim most of your paper down to size. (Like to use it as the foundation or background for your page.) Most scrap paper is sold as 12x12. Some manufactures are nice enough to give you guided lines on the back of the paper for where to cut it for the next size down, but you're not always so lucky. So here's how *I* cut my paper down.
 First, after I've picked out the paper that needs cutting down, I get a piece of cardstock that is the same size as what I'm going for. (That would be the brown in the above picture.) Notice how much bigger the white paper is than the brown? I line the brown piece up perfectly on one of the corners of the 12x12 paper to cut (I'll only need to make two cuts.) (Umm, and this is all working on the BACK of the paper, I don't want to make marks on the front if I can help it) Using a mechanical pencil (because the lead is small and precise and for some reason erases really well), I make little lines right on top of the edge of the cardstock where it meets the end of the paper. One on each outer edge, then I lightly trace the corner where the cardstock is in the middle of the paper. These marks are my guides for where to cut.
 Then I get out my 12 inch trimmer (obviously a 9 inch trimmer isn't going to be helpful!), line up the end opposite the mark at the bottom of the trimmer (so the mark is right at the top where I'm going to start the cut.) I always make the cut first on the 8.5 inch side -- this leaves me a bigger scrap to work with later. The 11 inch side only leaves me a one inch wide scrap (shown to the left), and what fun is that?
Does that make ANY sense at all? Just buy it, play with it a little, and worst comes to worst, call me and I'll talk you through it. ;o) Or come on over. I live at . . . well, you call when you're just outside of Nashville and I'll give you directions from there. . If you scrap 8.5x11 or even 8x8, you'll need to trim most of your paper down to size. (Like to use it as the foundation or background for your page.) Most scrap paper is sold as 12x12. Some manufactures are nice enough to give you guided lines on the back of the paper for where to cut it for the next size down, but you're not always so lucky. So here's how *I* cut my paper down.Bonus: the Scoring Edge.
So what's that black piece I see in the blade kits? That is a scoring edge. Scoring is making a straight line indentation in the paper that will help you make a fold. It's wonderful for cards and for interactive elements on a scrapbook page (like a mounted picture that folds out.) You use the scoring edge the same way you would the cutting blade. Decide where you will need the fold, mark it, line it up, and score away! Start light and go over the line with the scoring edge a few times -- if you do it too hard, it will tear the paper (which is TOTALLY defeating the purpose!) The hardest part for me when planning an element I'll need the scoring edge on, is remembering to leave enough room on the paper as I'm using the cutting edge that there will be room to score an edge, fold the paper, and mount the element to the page.
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