A bit more back on the subject...whether the compliment comes from an expert, a fan, or a houseguest, a smile and a "thank you" will always be the right response. How much weight you assign to their compliment (expert vs fan) is your business. It's impolite to contradict a compliment, and anyway, you can gain comfort in the idea that somebody liked what you did, even if it wasn't up to your expectations. I've seen it go wrong both ways; where nothing will ever bee good enough, or where everything done is a triumph of epic proportions. To the former I say, perfection is dull. To the latter I quote Golda Meir,"Don't be so humble, you're not that good."