Apply color and add text / apply brand colors............ doesnt work!!!!

Tutorial - make a logo..........

Did what was asked and cannot get it to sample the brand colours from anywhere.  when i just open new document in the the Illustrator (Beta) i can sample colours and apply eyedropper a lot of the time, but some will not work.  Random! (this is just into squares, triangles and rectangles I have created and filled with random colours.  Some work and some dont!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I did move the body and winy to top level as described, but problem seems unrelated as undid everything several times and still have the problem.  BTW could not use the eyedropper in the colour panel  (is this part of the problem?) but used "I" shortcut abd this will work between the most of the objects I created, but still cannot get tutorial to work.  

Using windows PC.  Would describe myself as partially competant at Illustrator.  I havent got this stuck on doing anything before!  

Help appreciated as very frustrating.

Thanks Karen