Hi Paula! The punches are meant as a way to give you different shapes that normally come in punches for your digital projects. Plus, they enable to you to "punch" digital designer paper instead of just coloring an image like the stamp brush sets. I think by default the punch images are not SVG files and I'm not sure if there is a tool to convert them outside of MDS2+. However, I think they were fixing things so that the default size that a stamp or punch sizes to on your project page is the actual size so you may be able to use your punch if you own it. I don't typically actually punch them out, I just use them for the digital shape and use drop shadows and layers to make it dimensional.
All that said, I know there is a tool for, I think, the Silhouette that allows you to trace around an image and then the Silhouette will cut it out. My mom has done that with stamp images from MDS before. There may be a similar feature in your software for the Eclipse.
And regarding the cards, the program lets you design all the page of the card (the front, inside the front, inside the back, the backside), so it doesn't set up to print 4 card fronts on a page. Which is not to say it isn't possible though.
I'm betting someone has done it! You could go to the forums on
My Digital Studio and ask if someone has done that and if someone has I bet they could quickly tell you how.
And finally, since your trial expired before you had a chance to use it, I would talk to your demo or call SU directly. I bet they would be able to hook you up with an extension so you can actually give it a real try!