It's not that for the vasesStill unable to find whetstone. Current suspicions
Penguin - ice/snow/packed ice
Scorpion - sand
Grey Parrot - Jungle/Acacia leaves
Toad - Lilly pads
Sloth - Jungle/Oak leaves
Empty brown vase - Clay or hardened clay
Filled vase - bottle of water with the same recipe as brown vase
There's a brown stuff used for tinting in MC (not much choice here) and another ingredient that is pretty much what you're trying to craft.