Hi Jeff, I have to say you are really the master! I have never dare to translate the ancient Chinese into English! You did it so well, however, some of the translation can be better, I would like to put them below for your reference:

刻鈐首章記 An Account of Engraving My First Seal

“记”can be a verb meaning "write down", and also can be a noun as "article, essay", here used as a noun. "首" has the meaning for "first", however, 鈐首章 is one word, is a kind of seal usually in round or irregular shape,the content is unformal, you can seal it on the top or anywhere you like on a piece of work. Not like 人名章， 人名章 usually seal it at the foot of the work.

久欲刻閒章一枚，Long have I wanted an engraved personal seal.

奈何終日為瑣事所絆身，However, I had been too busy with trifle things

未得其便。and had not achieved this convenience to do so.

近來偶得閒暇，Recently, an unexpected period of lull descended,

欣欣然將欲為之。Gleefully, I took this advantage.

提筆研墨，I started on my calligraphy [raise the pen and grind the ink, ie read to write]

磨刀選石，sharpening the knife and selecting the stone

然搜腸刮肚，and arduously searching for the appropriate phrases [searching through the intestines and cutting one's stomach, gruelsome in English! Just like, calling someone "heart and liver" in Chinese. In English it means, "my honey"!]

不得佳句，and yet I found none.

遂又作罷。Therefore the search was dropped.

是夜，'tis night.

雨打窗櫺，The rain beating on the window lattice,

淅瀝有聲， pitter pattering away. [The pitter patter has sound. 淅瀝 is an onomatopoeia]

時急時緩，Sometimes in urgency, sometimes in laziness [trying to be more poetic in English, "sometimes fast, sometimes slow"]

宛若妙音。like a melody [wondrous sound]

靈光閃現，Suddenly a light bulb popped over my head [/divine/miraculous/halo light appeared]

“聽雨閣”若何？How about the "Rain Listening Pavilion"?

問于友人，I asked my friend.

思索片刻，After a moment of deep thought,

答曰：The reply came,

不若“殘荷聽雨”。"How about, 'Listening to the rain by the decrepit lotus'?"

實不解為何用此“殘”字，I understood not the use of "decrepit"

再問其故。and so once more I inquired, the reason of its being.

對曰：The answer ["reply"]

語出李商隱詩句“秋陰不散霜飛晚，The words came from Li Shang Yin's poetic line, "The shadow of autumn yet to disperse, whence forth came the frost,

留得枯荷聽雨聲。" Leaving the withered lotus lying in the melody of the rain."

雨打殘荷，The rain beating upon the decrepit lotuses,

本無留意，This, I had failed to notice.

留意 in modern Chinese is one word like your translation, in ancient Chinese the two characters can use separately, means the intention to stay.

然詩人所聽到則不止雨聲之悽楚，How the poet was able to hear more than just the beating of the rain! [of course the poet not only able to hear the beating of the rain but to understand its sorrow]

枯荷秋雨之清韻，Ahh... The appeal of unadulterated song of the rain beating upon the withered lotuses.

實為常人所難解。How would the ordinary person to know.

聞之大喜，Upon hearing could I not be of joy? [After listening, great joy]

遂用其稿。Thereupon I took up his suggestion. [稿 = manuscript / draft /straw/stalk of grain/sketch]

翌日，The next day,

沐浴更衣，I performed a ritual cleansing [to bathe and to change clothes]

平心靜氣，In calm and quietude,

筆走龍蛇, I quickly wrote my calligraphy [running pen, dragon and snake, ie to write beautifully like the coils of dragons and snakes on the style of "grass hand"]

刀行昆侖。like the sword plunging through Mt. Kunlun.

待完工之後，Upon completeion [wait and after the work is done]

觀賞把玩，I admired my fiddling.

愛不釋手，Lovingly I could not let it go[love and unable to let out of the hand]

意猶未盡處，Thoughts still not finished,

My joy still not finished,

再作此記以記之。I need to rewrite this account for memory's sake.

再 in here means "and, moreover". Moreover, I wrote this artilcle to memorise.

Hope you can understand my poor Chinlish, if there is anything I didnot make it clear, please let me know.

I hope I had translated this correctly :) Please let me know where I went wrong :(  The commentaries are those who are interested learning Chinese but are mystified by the literal meanings or by my translation]

刻鈐首章記  An Account of Engraving My First Seal

久欲刻閒章一枚，Long have I wanted an engraved personal seal.

奈何終日為瑣事所絆身，However, I had been too busy with trifle things

未得其便。and had not achieved this convenience to do so.

近來偶得閒暇，Recently, an unexpected period of lull descended,

欣欣然將欲為之。Gleefully, I took this advantage.

提筆研墨，I started on my calligraphy [raise the pen and grind the ink, ie read to write]

磨刀選石，sharpening the knife and selecting the stone 

然搜腸刮肚，and arduously searching for the appropriate phrases [searching through the intestines and cutting one's stomach,  gruelsome in English!  Just like, calling someone "heart and liver" in Chinese.  In English it means, "my honey"!]

不得佳句，and yet I found none.

遂又作罷。Therefore the search was dropped.

是夜，'tis night.

雨打窗櫺，The rain beating on the window lattice,

淅瀝有聲， pitter pattering away. [The pitter patter has sound. 淅瀝 is an onomatopoeia]

時急時緩，Sometimes in urgency, sometimes in laziness [trying to be more poetic in English, "sometimes fast, sometimes slow"]

宛若妙音。like a melody [wondrous sound]

靈光閃現，Suddenly a light bulb popped over my head [/divine/miraculous/halo light appeared]

“聽雨閣”若何？How about the "Rain Listening Pavilion"?

問于友人，I asked my friend.

思索片刻，After a moment of deep thought,

答曰：The reply came,

不若“殘荷聽雨”。"How about, 'Listening to the rain by the decrepit lotus'?"

實不解為何用此“殘”字，I understood not the use of "decrepit"

再問其故。and so once more I inquired, the reason of its being.

對曰：The answer ["reply"]

語出李商隱詩句“秋陰不散霜飛晚，The words came from Li Shang Yin's poetic line, "The shadow of autumn yet to disperse, whence forth came the frost,

留得枯荷聽雨聲。" Leaving the withered lotus lying in the melody of the rain."

雨打殘荷，The rain beating upon the decrepit lotuses,

本無留意，This, I had failed to notice.

然詩人所聽到則不止雨聲之悽楚，How the poet was able to hear more than just the beating of the rain! [of course the poet not only able to hear the beating of the rain but to understand its sorrow]

枯荷秋雨之清韻，Ahh... The appeal of unadulterated song of the rain beating upon the withered lotuses.

實為常人所難解。How would the ordinary person to know.

聞之大喜，Upon hearing could I not be of joy? [After listening, great joy]

遂用其稿。Thereupon I took up his suggestion. [稿 = manuscript / draft /straw/stalk of grain/sketch]

翌日，The next day,

沐浴更衣，I performed a ritual cleansing [to bathe and to change clothes]

平心靜氣，In calm and quietude,

筆走龍蛇, I quickly wrote my calligraphy [running pen, dragon and snake, ie to write beautifully like the coils of dragons and snakes on the style of "grass hand"]

刀行昆侖。like the sword plunging through Mt. Kunlun.

待完工之後，Upon completeion [wait and after the work is done]

觀賞把玩，I admired my fiddling.

愛不釋手，Lovingly I could not let it go[love and unable to let out of the hand]

意猶未盡處，Thoughts still not finished,

再作此記以記之。I need to rewrite this account for memory's sake.

Wow! I need to learn from the master!

P.S. A personal seal/chop may contain a personal name, a literary name, name of a studio or an artistic expression of oneself.  Mainly for personal use such as on informal documents, paintings or just a personal mark.  It cannot be held up in legally.  A formal seal would be needed.