On the artsy side., Blender? Talk about a learning curve. But., if when I started messing around w/ FreeCAD I knew what I know now., I would DEFINITELY have switched to OpenSCAD. Since it's on the short list of tools that seem to have proven themselves on most platforms, I think OpenSCAD will be the way to go with the first requirement. Design/print specialized artsy things that mostly relate to pottery, and that originate usually from some sort of 2D vector drawing, with the intent, usually, of extruding/lofting them to simple cookie-cutter-like tools.

Design/print the occasional SIMPLE mechanical part/tool.I'll admit, I probably don't need a full-blown CAD package to do what I want to do. The problem seems to be when you go outside well traveled paths, it just falls over. I also realize that it's probably designed for someone who DOES have a CAD background, and is optimized for particular usage patterns. Part of the problem probably lies in the fact that I'm trying to use it on Linux and OS/X, when I suspect it's most commonly used on Windows.

FreeCAD has too many, and it's too much of a frustration collecting an ever more cumbersome bunch of workarounds. While I have no ME or CAD background/training, I know a bug when I see one (or many).

Freecad print drawing