Automator workflow/service for Preview images

I'm trying to get the Crop Images and/or Scale Images actions running in a Preview service. I've saved a workflow with some Watch Me Do actions, and I'm able to run the service from Preview -> Services. But if i add either of these actions it skips the Watch Me Do actions and hangs. It seems as if these built-in actions are not using the open image that the service is already processing. How can I include these actions in my workflow? It seems Automator ignores anything i do with the area selection tools (like the "rectangular selection") so i have to use these built-in actions.

If this can be done only in an application or workflow, but not a service in the way i describe, that's fine as long as i can have the watch me do actions and scale/crop actions done on the same file while it's still open, and then loop at the end so i can have the same edits done on the same file multiple times.

thanks