Oil cloud out of exhaust

The other day when I went to start my Intrigue (01 gls, so 3.5), it blew a small cloud of blue smoke (oil burning) out of the tailpipe. First I turned the key and let go (that's how I always start it - never hold it in the start position, as it cranks on its own until it starts. Then it cranked and just stopped. It blew the oil after I cranked it again and started it. By the way, I've mentioned before occasionally smelling burning oil if I let it idle for a few minutes while warming it up in the cold. Does this sound like a valve cover gasket failure? Just had an oil change 3 weeks ago - of course only mobil 1 oil.

I think valve cover gaskets would be the best place to start. Thats the only thing ive ever heard of around here that makes the 3.5 blow a smoke cloud like that.

my Intrigue will blow smoke bubbles on start-up also, but I never really noticed it until my Dad told me (he watched from outside the car). This was noticed on a humid 50 Deg F morning and the car sat for 2-3 days.

Most oils burn very cleanly now (won't visibly show smoke easily), so the condition is probably worse than I suspect. My Intrigue loses a quart of oil every 3K miles.

I wouldn't worry, the Intrigue ignition/spark system is powerful and will burn most oil no problem.