As an artist, I'm feeling crappy right now...?

[Brandon]

So, my name Brann, I make plush creatures, I sell around Baltimore, on etsy on FB etc. It's a handmade business so to say. I plan on doing this full time when I get out of college. I'm in Homeschooling 9th grade now. (end of the year, its actually summer for me)
For the past few days, I've felt kinda crappy, haven't even sewn anything yet. It all began when an artist on twitter said something, and shes local. She said this on her status "Um, two things: your shop looks like an 8 year old with a broken digital camera runs it & all your work is derivative... I mean "stolen". and it said that, right after speaking to me on twitter. I mean my photos, could have a better back drop but there good photos and show the texture. Copy now? I was freaking out. All I've did to not be a copy.
Okay lets go back to how I began sewing these things, three years ago.
I was speaking to an author on his FB page about his new book, he saw some of my hat characters (I made little cute hats) and he said they'd go great with a body etc. He gave me some personnel pointers and told me about his books. Over those three years I've collected his sewing books and other books. (Stupid Creatures is his company btw) So over that time, I've made hundreds of fails and successes. Yet only sold to family and friends.
Then one day, my art teacher who was familure with my sewing (when I went to public school, two months ago actually) had pulled me aside to go into a 12th grade presentation, she said there was an artist I had to meet. A local one!
I saw her stuff and I knew the artist, some what from the internet. She talked about how she markets her things etc. I was like omfg, I should market what I make. Shes so inspirational!
(Also, I was president of my business and financing class at th time. a.k.a. I LOVE marketing anything. So this became a fun goal over the last two months) I started and Etsy, then FB, then Twitter and Flickr and a blog. I had people talking to me, compliments, even a magazine interview request from my first craft show last month! (Now I'm in a magazine, awesome ) So I was on a roll. I was LOVING making what I made.
Then on twitter, what she said, killed me. My stuff being insulted killed off a thousand compliments.
Now, I feel I should stop and kill all the effort. Maybe I'm competition? She astonishingly compared me to the lady at the presentation.
That lady from the presentation found my site. I thought she's love a local artist who sews etc. And to be honest our stuff IS different, but still alike. Mostly the pockets. But I learned what I learned from books, remember that!
Any way that lady called my art teacher last month and little to my surprise, they were best friends. My art teacher wanted to defend her friend. I got interagated in a huge room full of art teachers. It was so confusing... After that my mom pulled me out for good when the system refused to do anything about it.
Its like, why can't I just craft? Now I have to worry about copyright crap?
Oh gosh... So now, I feel pretty crappy as an artist... I feel like maybe I am a copy and a jerk, when I know I'm not.
I'm writing to much, sorry I'm kinda venting.
I still need help about this though...
Thanks for reading, hope you can help...