Who is Poodles Doodles?

Poodles Doodles is a graphic design and multimedia solutions company and was started in 2006 by Karen Burton, a twelve-year veteran in the printing and graphic arts industry. PD was originally started to simply supplement my income until I moved to Tennessee, the company I was working for was closing, and I didn’t feel it was fair to take a position in Baltimore that I knew I would need to turn around and quit. Many clients of Born printing didn’t want to change designers, so I took them on in a freelance fashion and things have grown, not enough that I can do this full time, but enough to give me hope that someday I could.

The decision to branch out on my own has been difficult at times, and I will admit I have almost given up, but I keep hanging in there. I don’t ever want to look back on my life and be able to say, well what if? My business motto is “Advise my clients in marketing and promotion, Enhance their visual appearance, and Empower their business to grow”, Advise, Enhance, Empower = Succeed!

I have recently started taking on new clients in both print and web design, if you are interested in what I can do for you, call me at 615.225.8739 or on my cell at 615.692.9193.

Who is Karen Burton?

<--- This is me!!! I am a junior at MTSU with a Major in Graphic Arts and Multimedia Design and a Minor in Small Business Management. I have been working in the printing industry as a designer, typesetter, office manger and more for over twelve years.

I am a very diverse person and have many hobbies which include; swimming, singing, hunting, fishing, crabbing, & camping. I have even tried out for Nashville Star a time or three. I love the outdoors, provided you keep the bees away from me . I love photography and taking pictures, most of the time my family and pets are at the mercy of my camera, but gorgeous sunsets are a passion. I am very playful and upbeat and I get along great with just about everyone I meet.

My family is very important to me and we enjoy spending time together. I am engaged to a wonderful man who has a nine-year old son, Robert, and I have a sixteen (going on thirty) year old son named Matthew. My sister and her husband live two doors over and across the street! I love being able to sit on my front porch and wave to them. It’s great that they are so close to us. We have two full grown female cats that we rescued from Huricane Isabel, a three year old labrador named Abby, a 6 month old rottweiler named Diesel and two 11 week old kittens named Midnight and Mischief (the m&m twins as they are called), we recently lost a third siamese kitten we named Flea and an eleven year old Rottie named Zeus. Flea had what the vet called “fading kitten syndrome”, basically put he just didn’t have the will to live, though we tried so hard to save him He is greatly missed. Zeus passed away this February of Osteosarcoma, or bone cancer. He was the best dog a family could ever have! Abby & Diesel sure have big paws to fill.

George is now working again! (YAY!!!) and going to school at the same time. I have to admire his convictions – he is very very very tired, but he is doing fabulously! I am so proud of him!

There are so many people who have influenced me over the years, the first of whom is my great grandmother, Viola Comegys, she just turned 98 years young in July! Such a strong and determined woman in such a small package. She amazes me with her confidence, courage and wisdom. She suffered so her family wouldn’t have to and all I can say is I hope I am half the person in my life that she has been in hers.
My grandmother, Velma Dill, and my mother, Nancy Shipley, they are my rocks! Always there with the right encouragement, advice or support, without these women I don’t know where I would be. My sister, Amanda, who is my cohort in crime , she is my best friend, neighbor, business partner, without her I would be friendless (lol). Michael Born, my first real boss, he hired a nobody and turned her into a somebody, that’s not always an easy thing to do. He showed me that business doesn’t always have to mean business, but there is a certain amount of pride an personal that needs to be included to run a business. My favorite quote comes from him, “The answer is always no, unless you ask.” I also have a few friends, who, at a moments notice will drop what they are doing and come to the rescue if asked. I love you all.